As an alumnus of the College of Arts and Sciences, I am embarrassed by the actions of Dean Collins in terminating fellow alumnus Dr. Chris Warner from the A&S Advisory Board for his “rude and argumentative” comments made regarding Chancellor Emmert’s exorbitant pay increase. These comments both are warranted and welcomed not only by myself, but also by the Student Senate, Faculty Senate and Board of Regents through their actions in responding to the pay increase.
It is insulting to alumni who are invited to an advisory panel as distinguished graduates to be terminated from the panel for exercising their free speech in questioning an action by LSU. Alumni have the right to know what is going on and why decisions are being made at their alma mater. Therefore, I applaud Dr. Warner for speaking out as he did.
Second, the most disturbing aspect of this termination is it came from the Dean of A&S. As we all are aware, the College of Arts and Sciences, since Dean Collins took over, has seen such severe budget woes that faculty phone service has been cut and students forced to take exams on overhead projectors! It would make sense for her to be criticizing the pay increase as well in hopes of redirecting those funds to her college. Instead, she has bowed down to the powers that be in not questioning anything.
I ask that Dean Collins publicly apologize for her actions and invite Dr. Warner to rejoin the advisory council.
Donald Hodge, LSU Law Student
I would like to commend the University’s administration for instituting a plan that will gradually assist remarkably underfunded graduate assistants.
The proposed decreases in tuition — which are supposed to begin taking effect next fall — will go a long way toward assuaging the financial difficulties experienced by many graduate students. For example, graduate teaching assistants in the Department of English make on average $8,000 a year, which is supposed to sustain their living and academic expenses: rent, food, tuition, texts and so forth.
As one easily can imagine, LSU’s decision to adopt a graduate assistant funding policy that puts it in line with other comparable learning institutions is truly heartening, and this decision demonstrates the University is willing to consider graduate students as an integral part of its academic community. On a pragmatic level, tuition waivers will help recruit and retain talented scholars, researchers and teachers. More policies of this kind will further establish the University’s dedication to excellence in research, teaching, the welfare of the state and the benefit of the public in general.
Nevertheless, as someone at least peripherally involved in lobbying the administration on this matter, I submit that many due thanks should go to Dr. Paul Bell, others on the Faculty Senate, countless faculty members, various members of the Student Senate and concerned graduate students. Others who must receive gratitude for their efforts concerning this matter are U.S. Sen. John Breaux, Governor Mike Foster and state leaders who responded sympathetically to the plight of graduate students at LSU.
Again, the University deserves much commendation for making such a timely and necessary move. This definitely is a step in a better direction. Moreover, graduate students should continue to engage University and community leaders, further establishing their own commitment to progress at this institution, in the state, in the academy and in the nation.
Ben Lanier-Nabors
Procedures Chair of the English Graduate Student Association
Graduate Teaching Assistant — English
When comparing UGA and LSU SGA voter turnout, keep in mind the actual process of voting in elections at UGA is much simpler than here at LSU. UGA uses its PAWS equivalent, OASIS, so students can vote at their own convenience during the two to three days allotted for voting on any computer.
As a former University of Georgia Business School Senator, the hardest part of campaigning was reminding and encouraging students to go vote while they were on their way to the computer lab.
In addition, Georgia’s SGA only holds elections at one time during the year, unlike LSU. This way, candidates only have to focus their time and efforts on one election, which explains the increased hype surrounding elections.
Contrasting Georgia’s and LSU’s voter turnout doesn’t seem like an even comparison if you realize the vast differences in election practices.
Anna Lloyd
Graduate Student — Education
As the weekend approaches, everyone is getting their last partying in before next week’s finals. But, before everyone gets too caught up in the mess, I just wanted to give a last reminder to those eligible to vote on Saturday for the new senator of Louisiana. It’s going to be a close race; so, whichever candidate you are pulling for, it is important you exercise your right to vote. There should be no excuses for not casting a ballot, so get out there Saturday and vote!
Jessica Keller
Senior — Marketing
This letter is in response to the letter titled “Senate candidates marring state’s image.”
Politicians respond to what they believe the people want to hear, or at least what they’ve been told works. Somewhere along the road in the history of political campaigning, a candidate ran a negative ad and won. Nowadays, many people have associated negative ads with political campaigns and the political process. That Ms. Casey and doubtlessly others found these types of ads and campaigning to be morally repugnant is without question. That mudslinging from candidate to candidate is “obnoxious” and uninformative (with respect to the important issues) also is without question. That does not mean, however, that politics itself is obnoxious.
Laswell gave the classic definition of politics when he said politics is the “art of deciding who gets what, when and how.” While politicians and the way they run their campaigns may cause a degree of disgust to many, this does not minimize the importance of our participation in the political process.
So, regardless of how one feels about this subject, I urge everyone with the right to vote to exercise that right Saturday, Dec. 7. Let’s show the nation that we, the people of Louisiana, care about our political future.
Jennifer Chan
Sophomore — Political Science