Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / Sept. 3, 1998, edition 1 / Page 4
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September 3,1998 NSO headstaffer angered by profiles "Profiles.,, made NSO sound more like a prison term To the Editor: After reading Carrie Lancos’s new student profiles, I am concerned that nonquoted state ments in tiie articles infer that New Student Orientation has a negative impact on new students. As a fel low student, I am disappointed that she has such little school spirit. I am also embarrassed to know that she, as a journalism major, is ca pable of writing such biased ar ticles. Ms. Lancos’s profiles of the two new students in last week’s Pendulum made NSO sound more like a prison term than an opportu nity to meet other new students. As a head staff member, there are a few things I would like Ms, Lancos to know. First, Elon’s ori entation program is nationally re garded as one of the best. That should be a point to celebrate, not something to insult. Perhaps a more open-minded reporter might have seen this possibility. Second, NSO is a program that students, faculty and parents find very beneficial in easing the new students’ transition to college ife. Evaluations have shown that for several years. (If you don’t believe me, Carrie, I would be happy to show you the actual evalu ations.) Also, I am hard-pressed to believe that Ms. Lancos cannot find at least a few positive points about Welcome Week activities. Can she honestly think that orientation has no benefits? Thirdly, Ms. Lancos, through her negative inferences, demeans the hard work that all the OLs and headstaffers put into making NSO successful. We were all here a week or two early and working hard and having fun at the same time. Our OLs work very hard and de served to be appreciated for the job they do. Thank you so much for mak ing two orientation leaders feel as though they did an inadequate job. I’m sure they appreciate it. It is demeaning comments from students like Ms. Lancos that keep some people from working for NSO. For all those people out there who are thinking about joining New Student Orientation, I have some advice for you. Don’t listen to close-minded people like Carrie Lancos. For someone who thinks she’s intelligent, she doesn’t have a clue what she’s talking about. I have done orientation for three years and have loved every minute of it. My only regret is that I am graduat ing in May and cannot come back and do it again. Lastly, as a senior journal ism major, I am ashamed to know we share a major, I understand that Ms. Lancos’s orientation experi ence last fall was not as wondeful as she expected it to be. Her opin ion, as a reporter, does NOT have a place in what should be two unbi ased articles. To interject an opin ion is to practice irresponsible jour nalism. Once she gets old enough to get beyond intro courses, Ms. Lancos may actually leam the value of responsible journalism. (Wait until you get to Media Law and Ethics, Carrie. You’ll see what the public does to reporters who cross that line.) By the way, Carrie, if you are so concerned with the negative im pact NSO has on new students, stop criticizing the program and start changing it. Applications will be in the New Student Orientation office in November. Sincerely, Kate Cieslak Headstaff Member New Student Orientation Advertise in The Pendulum Contact Cathy at x2331 Ad deadline: 5p.m. Friday Mad about something? Write a Letter to the Editor Drop off letters at The Pendulum office (room 233, Moseley Center) by noon Monday or mail them to 7012 campus box. You must leave your name and phone number. No exceptions. Opinions Sorority members perpetuate stereotypes I’m not a mean person. I want to make that abundantly clear before I begin my article. I normally don’t verbally bash anyone, but I was at a party last week and saw something that almost made me lose my lunch. Perched on a wooden stool at the makeshift out door bar was the stereotypi- Steve Dignan The Pendulum digns8c0@elon.edu cal sorority girl. In one of her mani cured hands was a Virginia Slim and in the other was a plastic cup of bee-, uh, soda. Well, there she sat, casually deciding exactly who would be privileged enough to hang around in her select, little circle. The fact that she was behav ing in this fashion wasn’t even the most disturbing part. The part that almost sent me to have deja vu with my lunch was the fact that crowded around her were huddled masses of freshmen girls, their eyes glazed over as they looked upon what they might one day “aspire” to become. It makes me cringe to think that the nice, bright, cute freshmen girls I know now might someday become insensitive little snobs with two inches of makeup caked on their faces and an inability to care about anyone other than them selves. Now, granted, not a// soror ity girls are like the one I’ve men tioned above. In fact, many of them are among the nicest people I know (for example, my O.L.), but isn't this the picture you get when sorority girls come to mind? It's the ones that do exhibit those unsavory personality charac teristics that make everyone sick and fair or not, this is this image that I stays in the minds of jpeople. The thing that Ibothers many people I about sorority girls is that arrogant, snob bish attitude many jchoose to display. It's especially j scary to watch one sis- jter hug a fellow sister, kiss her on the cheek, and tell her how cute she looks in her new outfit only to then refer to her as "that skanky bitch" seconds later. Many of them often say some of the most horrible things you will ever hear about their best friends without a care about how their words hurt. It is not my purpose to make all the sorority girls, even those that act this way, feel bad about them selves. I only want people to look inside themselves and consider. It doesn't matter what a person does for a living, what their religious practices are, or whether you like them or not. If you’ve ever seen someone cry because of something you said just to look cool or to impress a date, you know it hurts. I ask that people, not just so rority members, reevaluate their treat ment of people in general. Maybe then Elon will be an even more welcoming place for stu dents. T H E C_JO ri—I CT3 $5.00 Off any salon service ($15.00 or more) Cannot be used with any other offer or coupon. Students Only 1066 S. Church Street • Burlington. NC (336) 229-4247 I Hours: Mon. & Frl. 9am til 6pm Tues., Weds., & Thurs. 9am Ul 8pm Sat. 9am til 4pm SALON
Elon University Student Newspaper
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Sept. 3, 1998, edition 1
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