EDITORIAL Februm 28, Ml 2
Where is the Funding for a Simple Project?
By Shiara Molina
Staff Writer
Towards the end of the
spring '06 semester,
I learned that Joyner
was going to be getting
revamped. I got really
excited when I heard this
because, being an English
major, this is my main
building. It was going to
take the entire summer
to revamp the building.
The professors' offices
were moved to tiie senior
dorms and no classes
were taught in Joyner.
When I'd come to class in
the morning. I'd see work
ers drilling and painting
inside, and when I'd leave
in the evening, they were
still working. I could not
wait to see the result the
long, hard work put into
Joyner. The first day of
fall '06 semester comes,
and the moment to see tiie
new and improved Joyner
Building is here. I walk
past Jones Auditorium
and the fountain. I walk
up the stairs and I open
ti^e door to enter the
building. Are you kid
ding me? Ihis is what
By Morgan Ericson
Contributing Writer
After , hearing
numerous stories about
the infamous CORE 100,
I did what any intelligent
student migfit do and
avoided taking the class.
When sophomore year
came, I reluctantly added
anddroppedthreesections
of CORE until I found
my professor of choice. I
crossed my fingers and
waited. I soon discovered
significant flaws in tiie
class's structure that
revealed an internal issue
took an eitire summer
to do?
It took three
months to give Joyner a
paint job? My 10-year-old
sister could've dcHie ttiis!
When I came for orienta
tion, I loved the Math &
Science Building, Harris,
and Ledford. They
looked so up-to-date
and comfortable. Then I
learned that the majority
of my classes wouldn't
be in those buildings. I
learned they would be
in Joyner. V^at a disap
pointment that was. I
understand the building
is old, and tiiat is why
I got excited when they
were finally going to use
part of the $29,000 of our
tuition buildings that
we leam in. The money
was going to be used on
something to benefit the
students. Wow, what
a concept! This paint
job was not even worth
$500. Where are the
new desks? As far as I
can see, students have to
sit in hard, uncomfort
able wooden desks that
are old and were prob
ably used in elementa
ry schools in the 1960's.
Oh wait, fliey did replace
those desks, IN ONE
ROOM! Yeah that's great,
because classes are only
held in one classroom in
Joyner. Could we pos
sibly use maps that dcHi't
fall apart when you pull
them down? Ledford
Hall has an auditorium,
and Harris has an eleva
tor. It's not just Joyner.
Why can't the professors
get nicer desks to works
from or bigger offices?
Why can't we have a
gym with actual bleach
ers or a softball field witii
lights? How can you play
softball at night without
lights? Where on earth is
our money going? These
facilities aren't worth
$1000, much less $29,000.
I'm sorry, but I assumed
tt^at a revamped Joyner
meant a building where
the professor's offices
didn't get mold under
the carpets because it got
flooded in tine first week
of classes.
Now I'll be nice.
There are a few swell
things that the Joyner
building got. We got new
carpets. I mean, honestly,
how can we take classes
wittiout a carpet float's just
as ugly as the one that was
ttiere before? All sarcasm
aside, I do love the new
study room. I think it was
needed and it's a wonder
ful, pretty room. But we
need more than that! We
need to fix the rooms that
we actually take classes
in. We need a building
that can be at a comfort
able temperature while
students are taking class.
It would be nice to have
a few more left-handed
desks, but that's not that
big of a deal. We need an
elevator for students who
physically can't be going
up and down stairs. These
same students could use a
ramp to get in and out of
the building. Why were
the printers taken out of
Joyner? Students actually
used them. It seems like
all the things that ben
efited the students were
tiie things that were taken
out.
I love Meredith
CoUege. It has turned
me into the woman that
I want to be and I owe
a lot to this school and
its studoits. This is why
I'm complaining. This
school is expansive and
I believe the education
we receive is worth the
money, but where is
all this money going. I
know it's not going to
the facilities. Our library
is almost embarrassing
compared to many other
schools around the area.
We have so much land
on this campus. I know
there's enough room to fix
Joyner. I know that the
tuition is steep enough
fliat we could afford to
put some of it towards
the athletic facilities. The
students at Meredith pay
a lot of money for books,
so I know all the tuition
money isn't going towards
that. If these renovations
are too much to ask for,
then I think the people
who pay tuition have
the ri^t to know exactiy
where ail the money is
going. There should be
a meeting where all the
money givers of Meredith
College meet and dis
cuss exacfly what tiiey're
funding. Personally, if
our money isn't benefit
ing those of us who go to
this school, tiien I'd like to
see what I'm paying for.
CORE 100: A Reflection of Meredith’s
within Meredith College.
Meredith wants its
students to graduate
with an awareness
and understanding of
culture, global issues,
and diversity. The school
recognizes tihe reality that
students won't achieve
this goal unless they are
pushed. Thus, Meredith
created convocatiOTi and
CORE requirements,
which essentially
force diversity upon
students. Every student
must complete twelve
convocations and three
levels of CORE classes.
Diversity
CORE 100 could be
a powerful means for
challenging students,
but the college allows
staff in any field to
teach the class.lS Math
professors, sociologists,
and English majors teach
a class for which they
lack mthusiasm and
credentials. Meredith
has thrown other duties
CHito unqualified staff
througji the position of
faculty advisor. I have
heard stories of faculty
advisors giving incorrect
information to students,
resulting in girls taking
unnecessary classes
or experiencing great
amounts of frustration.
The effect of placing these
responsibilities upon
Meredith's staff is ^at,
besides teachers' disputed
qualifications, students do
not receive the quality of
advice and teaching that
they ought to have.
CORE 100 is also
seemingly unregulated.
The college gives the
class's goals to the
professors who use tiieir
discretion in applying
diem. One professor
includes readings on gay
slurs
in schools, Islam, and
discrimination against
women, while another
focuses on patterns of
immigration within the
United States, the clash
of civilizations, and the
American Dream. If
professors do not wish to
discuss touchy issues such
as sexual orientation and
ethnicity, they can avoid
doing so. This imbalance
results in students