The Collegian Wednesday, November 1, 1989
Opinion
Editorial
Listening for your views:
How good is Behrend?
Each year Behrend turns away more and more
students. Last year around 10,000 applicants named
Behrend as a choice on their Penn State application.
These students were trying to become members of a
freshmen class with roughly 500 spaces.
At the same time, a well-known book (How to get
an Ivy League Education at a State School Price)
compares Behrend to Dartmouth.
It seems fair to say that while Behrend continues
to improve, the school is not yet in a league with
Dartmouth.
Still, standards are getting higher and
improvements are taking place. With all this in mind,
The Collegian decided to take a look at how members
of the Behrend community look at the college.
Beyond our average, we'd be interested in
hearing from you.
Has Behrend lived up to your expectations?
Exceeded them? How would you have responded to
The Collegian's poll? We'd like to hear from you and
the floor is open.
The Collegian won't attempt to sensationalize this
issue, and won't try to make the school look bad
through our news coverage. But we do think there is
much to be gained by hearing the suggestions of both
students and staff.
If Behrend is to be mentioned in the same breath
with schools like Dartmouth, it seems that an open
and frank discussion about our strengths and
weaknesses is in order. - - -
The Behrend Collegian's editorial opinion is determined by the
editor, with the editor holding final responsibility. Opinions
expressed in the Collegian are not necessarily those of the Behrend
Collegian or the Pennsylvania State University.
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Building, Station Road, Erie, Pa 16563.
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Editorial Polic
I have compiled a short summary of my
teaching philosophies and now wish to share
them with you. Perhaps you can give me some
advice or maybe talk me out of it. Who knows?
Oh before I start let me just say that I've got
nothing against profs who do any of the things
that I wouldn't do. These are merely things that I
would do a little differently.
First, I don't think that I would keep
attendance in the first place, but if I did I would
certainly allow anyone who walked in late to
sign the sheet. There is no real logic behind this
policy,but.itzertainly.would be pious of-me‘ip
- froWn on tardiness considering that'throtigh my
illustrious career as a student I have only made it
to class on time on precisely 17 occasions. I
keep track.
I know that there is no malice involved in
this, I am simply missing the gene that allows
me to properly plan on a time of arrival. Really.
I set my watch some times as much as 15
minutes ahead, but that doesn't work because I
know that its set ahead. In fact, I typically don't
remember how far ahead and usually
overestimate.
My second major policy would be that if I, as
a professor, arrived later then the last student,
then everyone would get the next day off. I don't
think that anyone would have a complaint about
that. Except maybe the guy who walked in after
me, who would probably be pummeled by the
rest of the class.
Another important focus of my teaching
would be that if I couldn't stay awake while
reading the textbook then no one would have to
read the damn thing.
On a related note, I would never have my
class write term papers on things like "the
significance of the dumb show in Hamlet." I
would never read anything called "the significance
of the dumb show in Hamlet," so why would I
want anyone to write about it?
Next, I think that the fast day of class would
be a memorable experience for everyone,
especially freshmen. I would jump up and down,
throw things at students and burn an American
flag. Next I would tell them that I was a devout
communist, although my friends just call me a
fascist. Then I would force all of those in
attendance to swear their allegiance to Satan, the
all powerful.
I think that by the next class meeting I would
have a pretty interesting selection of students. If
word of what happened got around efficiently I'm
sure that the drop/adds would be very telling,
indeed. Of course- I realize that Penn State will
never hire me, but maybe Oberlin.
Mother policy, and this is strictly a personal
quirk, I would never grade an essw on.points out
of 100. I'in just not that exact a person : I cannot
tell the difference betWeen'a 925 .. and'an 89.75:
COLLEGE PRESS
LOVE ROB
Definitely a class act
by Rob Prindle
I've been depressed lately. It seems that I'm
almost dangerously close to graduating. That
means that I have to find something to do with
my life. Thoughts like these make me sweat.
They are not pretty, not pretty at all.
I'm sure there are just a thousand things that
Fm qualified to do. Unfortunately few of these
talents are actually marketable outside of the
wonderful world of college, so I figure why not
teach? What the heck?
Teaching at the college level sounds like a lot
of fun. You get summers off, if you want them
off. And well, teaching doesn't seem all that
different from being a student.
Rob Prindle
My organizational ski!s will no doubt lqave me
With' the ability to have no more than three
different grades on any one class assignment.
They would be A, B and D. I want people to feel.
Getting a C is like being kissed by your aunt. I
want students to have as much mood fluctuation
as possible. In fact forget about the B, just A's
and D's.
Another policy of mine would be that
anytime the Browns were playing a home game,
I would jump up and
down, throw things at
students and burn an
American flag. Next I
would tell them that I was
a devout communist,
although my friends just
call me a fascist. Then I
would force all of those in
attendance to swear their
allegiance to Satan, the all
powerful.
there would be no homework. Also, if the
Browns make the playoffs everyone in class
wearing brown and orange would get an A. And
the same would hold true during the spring
semester with the Cays.
And speaking of playing favorites, Fm all for
it. Anyone mentioning Pink Floyd or Dire
Straits or Lou Reed or Harry. Chapin or Bob
Marley or Otis Redding or Timbuk 3 in an essay
would get a much better grade then anyone who
mentioned, say, Tiffany or Martika or New Kids
on the Block or anyone like that.
Sorry.
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