IT'S HARD to feel like a real student these days. There aren't many classes left to sign up for, there isn't much room for us at University Hall and we must always have a little plastic card to prove our status.
The University remains a wonderful school with a strong academic tradition. But it seems as though the priorities of many members of the faculty and staff are increasingly displaced.
Since the beginning of this year, I have heard more complaints about class size, faculty relations, student seating and ID card problems from my peers than any previous semester. Students are standing against a tide of increasing limitations and frustrations.
In this climate, a renewed effort must be made by our mentors to reach out and respond to the growing alienation many students feel. Administrators must increase face-to-face exposure with students and gain more insight on issues from our perspective. Those who do are surprised by the willingness of students to take time to explain their concerns.
Granted, when there is no money allocated to hire new professors, classes are going to run short. Perhaps the increased time constraints facing our professors stand as a legitimate excuse for poor interaction between them and us. And maybe we really can't trust anyone who merely says they are a student without flashing a card at Pavilion XI or the Aquatic Fitness Center first.
But the fact remains the University is a school, not a business. We are paying to take classes and learn from faculty - no reservations should be required. Administrators are obligated to consider and respond to the needs of students because it fills their job description. A student need not carry his ID card to the AFC or a soccer game if a peer will vouch for him. The future alumni will be more inclined to donate money twenty years from now if they actually know what it's like to watch a sporting event in the student section.
The trend toward shuffling student concerns in the big mix of the bureaucracy caused by running a billion-dollar operation remains troubling. A favorite statistic cited by opinion columnists over the years is the percentage of administrators hired in relation to new faculty added to academic departments. The overwhelming preponderance of paper pushers compared to professors represents a larger problem: Student needs increasingly are subjected to pressures that lessen the quality of life
A considerable number of my peers have told me about professors refusing to accept e-mails or halting the practice of holding office hours. Instead of this, there must be better communication from faculty, especially in light of growing class sizes. If research and writing remain the only priority of a professor, they should not bother holding class.
The University community as a whole must embrace the ideals behind the honor system and allow students to stand behind it with ID vouching policies. Many inconsistencies exist that only serve to weaken students' faith in the system. For example, someone may borrow a key if locked out when accompanied by a fellow card-carrying student, but the same does not apply to admittance to the AFC or athletic events. Until these discrepancies are eliminated, students are never going to fully appreciate the ideals behind the system.
Of course, we are responsible for taking action on our behalf. Fortunately, this problem is confined to only a few student organizations and individuals. While many complain about apathy among the student body, the past few years provide little evidence of such rhetoric. Between forums on race relations, all-night libraries and the preservation of self-governance in the face of bogus lawsuits, one can hardly claim students are not self-motivated.
Faculty and staff must consider the increased pressures on the quality of student life. While there are a few shining examples - men's basketball Coach Pete Gillen's spirited e-mails are always a welcome surprise, and the example set by beloved professors such as Ernest Mead, a long-time supporter and friend to the student body, continue to endure - more must follow the lead. Students are in class to interact and learn from professors. We are more than just a face on an ID card. We deserve attention paid to our needs and concerns because we make the University a place for students.
(Katherine Martini's column appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at kmartini@cavalierdaily.com.)
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