Opinions
Faculty
By Dr. Carl Frankel
If there is anything
lacking in the at
mosphere at Highacres it
is what I'll call "serious
fun." There is lots of
seriousness (school, per
sonal problems, parking,
money, to name a few).
There is lots of fun too,
both on and off the
record. Maybe it's
because of the economy,
the State, the times, and
the University's 2001
rules, for everything
make the serious parts of
our lives seem so over
whelming that we
hanker for fun that is as
silly and unproductive as
possible. For myself, this
has taken the form of
watching Lost in Space
re-runs on TV and
"riding around" the
official local sport. For
many students it in
volves ... well, you
already know, if you
don't, maybe you
shouldn't.
My suggestion would
be to organize activities
which are both fun and
productive. SportS
qualify because they im
prove the participants'
skills and fitness, but we
don't do a lot for our
mental or social skills
and fitness, nor do we
seem to be very concern
ed about the fitness of the
forum
community, the world,
or the environment,
judging by the amount of
time we devote to them.
Yet there are many
things we can do which
are mainly for fun but
also improve ourselves,
or which are for good
causes but also fun to do.
Examples: (1) for
political types Don't
just complain. Form an
action group, distribute
petitions, get involved in
campaigns, sponsor
debates on campus,
phone Dennis Burke,
leave - - anonymous,
devastating leaflets on
the seats at the Laurel
.Mall.
(2) —for engineers and ed most productive, most
business majors Bring entertaining, most ir
solar and/or wind power reverent, etc.
to Highacres. Organize 3) Obtain academic
an area-wide leg- credit for those projects
powered vehicle race. which can qualify as the
Write a pamphlet listing "special topics" or
25 things to do with env- "independent research"
ty beer cans for fun and credits offered by many
profit. departments.
(3) for artists After all, we are a
Organize an Eastern university, and we
Commonwealth Campus university people are
arts and crafts competi- supposed to have a little
tion. Take your skills into more on the ball intellec
workshops in the com- tually and creatively
munity. Build a paint- than many other people.
what-you-want-to Why take our examples
plywood fence , along for activities from
Agony Hill. Animal House and High
The trouble with these School?
ideas is that they are
mine, and off the top of
my head at that. In
itiative must come from
the students themselves
if the projects are to suc
ceed. However, if I had
the authority, I would en
courage activities of this
sort in several ways:
1) Make funds
available on a grant
basis to any group of
students who can make a
good case for them,
rather than doling them
out to clubs that often
fold by paid-year.
2) Reward worthy ac- 1
tivities by providing
scholarships for students
whose projects are judg-
By Diedte Jago
There are a lot of students from all over.
changes that could make Of all the things that I
the atmosphere at our could think of that would.
campus better than it is drastically change the
,now, and it is very dif- overall atmosphere of
'ficult to pinpoint one the campus, I would like
specific aspect that to see the faculty, staff,
seems to be better than and students all become
all others. I have asked a more involved with cam
number of students this, pus life outside of the
question, to see if they classroom. We tend to sit
had any opinions, and around a lot and corn
these are some examples plain about the lack of
which they have come up cultural and social ac
with: more student park- tivities, yet when one
ing spaces at the top of looks at the people who
the hill (especially dur- do take advantage of the
ing the winter months), special events, it ap
more dances and social pears that the same peo
events, an auditorium, a ple do everything. If you
beautification program are one of the individuals
for the whole campus, who can find the time
and stabilized tuition for and energy to become in
'the next several years. I volved, my hat is off to
am sure that some of you. If you are one of the
these changes could be complainers, start spen
accomplished and they ding your energy in a
could indeed have a big more fruitful and
effect on improving the positive way. Your par
atmosphere of this cam- ticipation and involve
pus. ment would not only give
In, analyzing this ques- you satisfaction, but it
tion I have tried to take a would have a significant
good look at our situation impact on enhancing the
and I realized that there quality of participation
are a lot of things that I that the others have.
really like about it. The The next time you and
facilities are better than your friends begin to
a lot of the other cam- complain about the lack
puses I have been to and of activities, do
the physical appearance something more con
of the ' campus is structive than complain
beautiful, especially at ing. Get involved and get
this time of the year. We your friends involved,
have good programs too. You will be glad you
academically and we did! .
seem to attract plenty of
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