The Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 82, No. 16, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 6, 1999 Page: 3 of 6
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The Rambler October 6, 1999 3
Editorials
Capital Campaign
Balancing deficit equally important
"Something big is about
to happen," university offi-
cials touted weeks before
revealing the specifics of the
$33.5 million fundraising
campaign, "Of High
Endeavor." The revelation
occurred with much festivi-
ty.
demic institution to focus its
efforts on building the best
facilities money can buy.
But if the university remains
in debt, those facilities may
never be built.
Wesleyan needs the
facilities the capital cam-
paigns
It is
important
for
Wesleyan to
have "a
focal point
around
which to
rally," for it
47/ is laudable for an
academic institution to
focus its efforts on build-
ing the best facilities
money can buy. But if the
university remains in
debt, those facilities may
never be built."
promises to
fund. But a
new student
center, fine
arts auditori-
um and
dormitory
will mean
nothing if
brings stu-
dents, staff and
administrators closer togeth-
er and gives a clearer picture
of what the university's
goals are.
But such focus should
not prevent the university
from solving problems that
could damage it—like the $3
million budget deficit.
It is laudable for an aca-
the universi-
ty cannot afford to till them.
In order to remain com-
petitive with neighboring .
universities, Wesleyan must
provide its students with
state-of-the-art facilities and
equipment. At the same
time, it must maintain finan-
cial stability. This should be
Wesleyan's highest endeav-
or.
Respect instructors
They deserve all they can get
A member of the admin-
istration's senior staff
recently told an visiting
instructor he heard she was
"helping [the university]
out" this semester.
This instructor.Has bee'n
"helping out" at Wesleyan
for seven years.
Occurrences like these
are common among adjunct
and part-time
professors at
Wesleyan.
There are
many excellent
non-tenured
instructors at
Wesleyan, but
few get the
recognition they richly
deserve from their bosses.
Non-tenured instructors
receive a small stipend for
each course they teach per
semester, and are often
forced to have more than
one job just to pay the bills
"There are many
excellent non-tenured
instructors at
Wesley an,,but few get
the recognition they
richly deserve...
part-time and adjunct
instructors did exactly that
this summer.
Part of Wesleyan's mis-
sion is "to create a learning
environment where personal
attention provides each stu-
dent an opportunity to
pursue individual excel-
lence," but shouldn't the
same goal be extended to
professors?
The admin-
istration
should make
an effort to at
least acknowl-
edge each
teacher on this
campus, not
just tenured faculty.'
Wesleyan is a small campus,
after all, and the administra-
tor-instructor ratio is
remarkably low.
Teaching is often a
thankless job, but this does
not have to be the case at
each month. They are rarely Wesleyan. By giving each
promoted to higher posi-
tions.
For these reasons, many
instructors, often students'
favorites, choose to leave
Wesleyan lor other, better-
paying schopls. Main
professor the respect and the
position he or she deserves,
administrators will help
enhance students' education
well into the 21st century.
§
The Rambler
founded in t$i? at The Handout
Jake A Sdurum. hMijher , Dk Marian Hotter. ,Uwr
JilMtS editvr in chief
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Mumdkt fneenuut, tfnutt editor tjiuw Beyet. ttthrmsMji imma$er
Member of the AssmcWhwI Coltejjv Press ami the Tc.\a$ liMerwJtegiwe flnas
Opmton* expressed in The KmtMrr arc thowc of the. author o*vlv ami do Mrt neoe*-
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Address all correspondence to
Texas Wesk'yan l.'nhersity. The Rambler. 1201 Wesleyan St.. Fort Worth. TX 7tl#5.
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VAWMBUIM
mm prison?
THIS IS
MLOOKS
HIS
RHI6H
FINfc TO ME
SCHOOL
n
N
Don't let Congress cut student aid
JT JT T~c are sorry to inform you that you
1/1/ will not be receiving yoUr Pell Grants
f f this year. The financial, aid grant you
get from your state has also been drastically
reduced. By the time you graduate, you will owe
more money than you.would need for a down
payment on a house.
Insincerely,
The U.S. Congress
Is the above too terri-
ble too believe? If the
current federal budget pass-
es, it could be all too real.
Under pressure from con-
servatives, leaders in the
U.S. House of
Representatives h^ive allo-
cated $16 billipn less this
year to the Labor, Health
and Human Services and ™~""""~~
Education (LHHS&Ed.) sub-committee, the
committee that allocates all federal money to
higher education.
This represents an 18 percent cut from last
year's spending levels and means nearly $6 bil-
lion in cuts to the entire Department of
Brent
Morton
Education. The LHHS&Ed. Committee also
funds early intervention programs and mentor-
ing programs, and if it doesn't have enough
money, neither will you.
Students already receive less grant and aid
funding than ever. Congress claims it is being
forced to cut educational spending because of
"spending caps" set on all types of programs,
but this isn't true.
"Congress claims it is being
forced to cut educational spend-
ing because of'spending caps'
set on all types of programs, but
this isn yt true."
Even if the LHHS&Ed. Committee freezes
spending levels at last year's levels, it will mean
less money overall for financial aid programs. A
freeze doesn't take into account inflation, or
continual increases in students'tuition from year
to year.
A recent poll by the Alliance to Save
Student Aid shows that 87 percent of people sur-
veyed think it is important to increase funding
for college students, and. 61 percent of people
would be more likely to vote for a candidate
who did so.
Our political power as students lies in our
grassroots strength—our ability to mobilize large
numbers of students and to vote out of office
those representatives who refuse to put students
and education as their number one priority.
I encourage you to join your Student
Government Association in signing on to the
United States Student Association',s Fall Action
Campaign. The SGA office can give you and
your organizations information on how to orga-
nize around this issue.
We must demonstrate our numbers by till-
ing out postcards and calling our
representatives' offices in Washington, D.C., to
insist that they increase funding for the Pell
Grant, Gear Up, and other.student aid programs.
Look for postcard tables, e-mail sessions and
call-in days sponsored by the SGA in the next
few weeks.
Brent Morton is a senior majoring in political
science and treasurer of the Student Government
Association.
Few would profit from unstable
New Urban University
Sara
Horsfall
In his recently published book, Democracy's
Last Stand, President Jake B. Schrum states
that education in this country and in most
other countries—except communist or formerly
communist countries—is elitist.
Politically, an elitist
education system results in
an uneducated electorate.
But an educated electorate
doesn't necessarily make
the country more democra-
tic, nor are the uneducated
necessarily eliminated
from the governing
process.
1 don't believe that
lack of education put.s
democracy at risk. But ,
lack of education often
goes hand in hand with lesser life chances.
Those who are uneducated are more likely to
have lower Socio-economic status, greater health
problems, less social mobility and a host of
other poverty-related problems.
But a lack of education is only half the pic-
lure. It is the picture of poverty and racial
discrimination that is truly disturbing.
Vl; n> African Americans in universities
today are the first in their families to attend.
Some do just fine. Others come from schools
that prepare them badly
The waters are further muddied by the
observations of Richard J. Hormstein and
Charles Murray in their controversial book. The
Rt ll Cun t> In Vie Btil Ctme. Hermstein and
Murray found that the average African^
American IQ is "JO -10 points below the national
average
There is much evidence to suggest that a
group's achievement is not related to their
potential, however. Take the Irish, who in years
past were thought by some to be the "missing
link" between man and ape.
Or the Italians, who were considered unso-
phisticated and of inferior stock given to
drinking and generally no better than the black
slaves. Indeed, a 1912 Army intelligence test
reported that Italians were feeble minded and
not college material.
It is a laudable and even noble goal to offer
social resources to a group that might otherwise
be denied access to social interaction in the
mainstream of society. It is an altruistic vision
on par with civil rights proponents, suffragettes,
and the Emancipation Proclamation.
But if the New Urban University caters to
students from a lower socio-economic class
(presumably a large proportion of whom are
minority), what can the institution offer to
prospective students who are not from that
group?
Will students who arc unprepared for every-
thing college requires bring down the academic
standard of this university? On the other hand, if
the academic standard is kept high and students
are not able to "make tlie grade." will the expe-
rience at the New Urban University be a
reinforcement of failure to students who are
already marginal?
If Texas Wesleyan as a New Urban
University does not develop its own character
and continue to maintain high academic stan-
dards, it will become merely a second or
third-rate university with a large minority stu-
dent body. 1 can't see how that would benefit
anyone.
Sara Horsfall is a professor of sociology.
\\ hat's black, white and read on campus?
Your letter to the editor!
twuramhIer@yahoo.coni
Letter to the editor
Positive changes on campus
I want to commend The Rambler for print-
ing Bob Taylor's column Sept. 22. It is nice to
see a college student who really understands
the value of an education. I hope every student
is able to make a connection with a professor
who will help change his viewpoint in a posi-
tive way.
Many students are quick to blame the uni-
versity for its shortcomings without
acknowledging all of the really great things.
We have smaller classes, which enables more
class participation and attention from profes-
sors. We V e much lower tuition than other
private universities in this area. And we have
more opportunities to get involved and make
things better for ourselves and future classes.
Too much time and energy are devoted to
students who complain about parking, access
to computers, the administration and tuition-
fees and costs. A student who fails an exam
doesn't blame his professor because he didn't
study, right? In the same way, the fault on
other issues lies with the student, rather than
the university.
All these great things have just taken
place on campus, and yet some students aren't
satisfied and want more. They should realize
that progress doesn't happen overnight, but
rather that it is a gradual process. If things
aren't changing at their pace, 1 suggest they
get involved and help make things happen
instead of sitting by and complaining.
^ Part of me is Sad that I am graduating this
semester. There are so many changes that have
already taken place, and there are more to
come that I won't gel to take advantage of.
The university is trying to make a better
environment for its students, so its students
should try to appreciate it more and complain
less. Besides, the main reason we are here is to
get an education, and Wesleyan has been pro-
viding that for its students since 1890.
Laurie Kisner
Senior
Mass communication
1
I
i
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Pfaffengut, James. The Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 82, No. 16, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 6, 1999, newspaper, October 6, 1999; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth287735/m1/3/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Wesleyan University.