Exciting, important and tragic news, from the terrorist attacks to the football team’s success, stacked our headlines throughout fall semester. They are stories that made us cry and think; get scared, irritated and happy. They are stories that will allow us to learn and move forward this year.
Although the Sept. 11 tragedies forever will dominate our thoughts of 2001, we should consider several University-related stories and watch for developments this semester. These topics range from athletics, disability access, enrollment, the Master Plan and projects with Southern University.
One important milestone for Tiger fans occurred Jan. 1, when the Tigers won a major bowl game, after an incredible season with numerous accolades. And as the excitement continues, I have no doubt those already coveted football tickets will become even hotter. With all the headaches student tickets caused last semester and plans to revise distribution method and seating arrangement continuing, students should voice their concerns and suggestions. Athletic Department managers should base their final decisions on effectively and efficiently dividing and distributing tickets according to what is best for students — this should not be a decision to capitalize by raising prices, moving seats or shrinking the student section, or requiring students to become members of organizations like TAF to gain priority. After all, we are the fans who care the most, cheer the loudest and get the fewest seats.
Disability access grew into a hot topic, making even students without disabilities advocates. Organizations chose projects to improve on-campus access, one class investigated access issues, including recruitment, housing, transportation and capital outlay, and prominent campus officials, including Chancellor Mark Emmert and Student Government President Patrick McCune, vocalized their support and began making concrete steps toward improvements. Facility Services raised concrete on the Quad’s west side entrances during winter break, allowing students with disabilities greater ease when entering Prescott, Stubbs and Dodson buildings. These improvements are vital to the University’s success; and must continue until all problems are corrected.
Chancellor Emmert announced late last semester plans to increase enrollment to 35,000 students. This was after stating he wanted to decrease enrollment, allowing for improved academic standards, lower teacher-student ratios and greater retention rates by increasing enrollment standards and weeding out weaker students. I hope students will lobby for their academic rights, insisting on better state funding that traditionally punishes shrinking student bodies, a basis for Emmert’s plan change. Students should voice their concerns to administrators, emphasizing that an enrollment increase should improve rather than hinder their education.
Workers with the Master Plan decide on a central plan this semester, regardless of student involvement. And since students became more informed about the plan last semester, hopefully they will get involved now. The SG president will appoint five students to a Master Plan committee in the next week, offering greater student impact on the plan if those students speak up and use their role to represent students. Campus representatives for the Master Plan should prominently display boards detailing the plans. They must use student comments to steer the plan, especially since we’ll pay for it and see it completed; they must begin to treat students well.
Southern and LSU students joined in two events to unite the campuses and plan to host a joint service project in March. The programs began through the schools’ student governments and have extended into other areas. For example, The Reveille and Southern’s newspaper will allow students to express their opinions in the neighboring paper and eventually write joint stories that affect both campuses. As the major universities in Baton Rouge, we share a lot more than the city, including race and educational funding concerns. I encourage organizations to build communication with a similar groups at Southern. The 40,000 voices at both schools could be a powerful and united front.
Our goals are to cover stories important to our community, give all students a voice and cover topics they care about. I hope you will get involved, stay involved and improve student life.