After reading the letters to the editor over the last few days, I, for one, am appalled that no one is concerned about the welfare of the squirrel in all this.
As a student at the University of Puget Sound (Tacoma, WA), I feel compelled to remind your readers that the real tragedy is not the missing card, nor the student’s laziness and idiocy, nor even the apparently woeful condition of your university’s residential facilities. Have you considered what dreadful conditions the squirrel and his family must be living in to stoop to petty theft? Rather than punishing criminal squirrels, the University of Puget Sound has several community outreach programs for our rodential brethren, including daycare, night classes and free wireless internet.
Let us remember how lucky we are to have access to a post-secondary education, when over 99 percent of all squirrels will drop out of school before kindergarten. I would entreat Ms. Rainwater to blame not the squirrel for holding the gun to society’s head, but rather the society that forced him to pick it up in the first place.
 
Mychal Okuhara
Sophomore
Political Science
University of Pugent Sound
 
Language usage shocks alumni
I am shocked by Tasha Rainwater’s open letter to the editor regarding a student’s encounter with campus squirrels. It is true that the student should not have thrown his campus ID from his third floor window to his girlfriend below, but for an administrator at this University to belittle a student is unprofessional and inexcusable.
I still can’t believe Ms. Rainwater, as a professional and administrator, resorted to such childish antics as name calling: “his lazy behind,” “an idiot,” “his own laziness and stupidity.” What message does this send to students when a staff member calls one of them “stupid,” “lazy” and “an idiot?”
This student deserves a public apology from Ms. Rainwater and the University, and her ridiculous actions must not go unpunished.
 
Chris Boudreaux
Alumni
History and Political Science
 
 
Campus community on the rise
The campus community is appreciative of the excellent article on the Flagship Agenda published by The Daily Reveille on March 28 (“Living the Agenda” by Scott Sternberg).What needs to be emphasized is the progress that the campus has made as a result of having the detailed action plan that the Flagship Agenda outlines.
It is clear we are making excellent progress in increasing our faculty size and strength. The fact that we have seen a transformation in departments such as English and mathematics attests to the teaching and research quality that has been added to LSU by targeting faculty recruitment. In addition, we are making rapid progress in increasing the research achievement of our faculty, as reflected by large increases in federal, competitive research grants.
Our student achievements continue to rise, not only as reflected in ever-stronger and more prepared freshman classes, but the increasing competitiveness of our students for post-baccalaureate awards such as Truman and Goldwater scholarships.
We are working hard to identify resources that can let us improve even more quickly. The capital campaign will provide much needed flexible funding, as will any help our budget can attain from the proposed tuition policy. LSU is on the rise, and it is our Flagship Agenda that is setting our course.
 
Risa Palm
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
 
Worker’s deserve raise in wages
I am writing to support what was said in the article paying living wages. It is a slap in the face for the government to set poverty limits and pay below the standard for a full-time worker. Most of the facility workers are old and cannot work two jobs.
They spend at least 40 hours a week yet their efforts are being minimized (e.g just three workers clean Lockett Hall everyday). Clearly this job is not a part-time job.
So far, I have not seen any students working this job since it is suppose to be a “part-time job.” How do you feel when every morning you come to a clean office and classroom, cleaned by someone who after working so hard for one year still could not live pass the poverty level. People say it is not the University’s problem, we have to know that they are our families and friends and we need to talk on their behalf. These good people still work here because they love us and we should help them in any way to get their right wages.
I am urging everyone to notice the efforts of these good men and women and join the SEC to help these workers.
Thank you.
 
Joan M. Ngamo
Petroleum and Mechanical Engineering
Sophomore