On Campus experience

For my on campus experience I attended the student body forum. When I first decided to go I was not interested. Actually I felt forced into because all my friends are going. I did not even read the Strategic Plan before attended. Truthfully I did not care where the money went. I trust that the people in charge know what is important and how we need to get what we need. Since going, I have read the plan and am a little disappointed. I decided to read the plan because the outline they gave at the forum was extensively vague. I was frustrated by the presentation of their ideas and the lack of knowledge of the plan the two student representatives had. To my disappointment, the plan was equally vague. The ideas they have seem unreasonable and pointless. The plan is filled with questionable comments such as “as funding allows”. Not only where the ideas pointless and vague, I don’t think the plan has the correct priorities in line. I do agree that improving the athletic facilities should be at the top of the list. Allowing for greater resources would improve the quality of our existing athletic teams. That being said, I think adding a football team in the next 5-7 years is unreasonable. Our school already has so much potential with our existing sports, that adding another, especially, football will completely deplete the already low funding for our sports teams. Putting our name on the board in athletics can help build our school name around the nation. Once we get to the national level in our respected sports, a reputation can be better built. Some of the students and probably the faculty would agree that improved sport teams would help establish a reputation of the school though out the nation but probably not in the way they want. Most schools that are nationally known for athletics rank low on the quality of the education. I agree we should not be known for the brawn and not the brain. But some of the best student athletes are also some of the best students.

Listening to the other students’ voice their opinions was very interesting to me. I would get annoyed when someone would back up their opinions with a point that was not even valid. I think they need to get their facts straight before pointing a finger saying, you are wrong. I understand everyone has a different opinion to what is important, but they also need to keep an open mind to the importance of other things. Many of them seemed to just form an opinion based on their friends’ opinions around them. Others would fluctuate in what they thought was important immediately after someone would make a point (again not always valid). Overall the atmosphere of the forum was interesting. I became aware of the issues at hand and have researched the topic brought up. I now have my own opinion on what I think the next step the university should take. I hope the plan is reevaluated before it is put into action.