LSU bureaucrats should consider student interest
In my four years at the University, I have endured countless absurdities – from paying almost $100 for a student ticket my freshman year after almost all freshmen were denied football tickets, to the firing of numerous instructors so that more prestigious Ph.D.s could teach me along with about 500 other students. I have purchased two useless clickers that never seem to have worked, and dealt with the constant stream of “new textbooks” that must be purchased, even though the old editions contain the same information.
I have been here through the now infamous Student Government Blackberry scandals, the loss of Nick Saban, the hiring of Sean O’Keefe and new LSU System President John Lombardi, and the much-publicized but still unfulfilled promises of the Flagship Agenda. I am helping to finance the Student Union renovation along with the addition of SG suites, even though I won’t be here when they’re even close to completion. Through all of this, I have learned that the University is often more interested in what others think, rather than listening to its students.
I have continued to support the University through all of this, but when it blatantly puts public opinion before its students, I must speak out. University administrators, staff and alumni need to remember one thing: without the students, the University is nothing. It may seem like alumni with their generous donations and other peer institutions are who University administrators needs to cater to, but in reality it should be the students, who are paying for the University’s aspirations both through their hard work and their wallets.
The current administration cannot continue to ignore the voice of the students, as they most recently have done with the Freshman Residency Requirement. I ask that the bureaucrats who govern the University look to the most famous symbol of the University for guidance – the LSU football team. After the Tigers’ epic victory over Florida on Saturday night, Les Miles came to the student section to pay his respects and thank the students for their unwavering support of the team. Football layers took off their helmets and saluted the students for their continued support. They remember what everyone else seems to have forgotten – that we, the students, are LSU.
Cristina KennedySenior, architecture
Thanks for nothing, Tiger fans
After the South Carolina game, I was a bit confused as to why everyone made such a big stink about the students yelling profanity at the game. Adding an ironic nickname at the end of a cheer didn’t seem so bad to me. I was one of those students who just thought it was all in good fun. I mean, really, we weren’t going to say it at any other game, right?
Oh no – this game we didn’t use that cheer. Instead, some people decided to chant “F*** you, Tebow!” and “You suck, Crocs!” I’m pretty sure that’s a different animal, but hey, to each his own.
But then I heard the disgusting comments made to Dr. Linda Moorhouse. My jaw dropped, and it took me quite some time to pick it up off the ground. I was truly appalled at the fact that someone would say something like that to not only someone with as many accomplishments as Dr. Moorhouse, but to a woman in general. Who in their right mind could think those comments were acceptable? It is comments such as these that made us lose Tiger Rag. They played the Touchdown Dance to give everyone a second chance, and it was quickly seen that it was a mistake.
So thank you to those few idiots who make us look like backwoods hicks who can’t speak to a woman with a little bit of dignity and respect. You are the reason that some women can’t trust a man to save her life. Thank you for being put out there for the world to see and assume we have no class, no dignity and no respect for our female population.
Lindsay Hardiman Freshman, history