Spring Break
Letters to the editor
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: Opinions
Opportunity, not obligation
The Monday staff editorial on parking argues that upperclassmen should be allowed to park in faculty/staff spots. While I oppose this, my deepest opposition is reserved for some of the stated rationale. The most offensive portion of the editorial board's position is stated as follows: "Eastern is a university where students pay to come for education, and faculty members are paid to educate. An analogy of a restaurant comes to mind in this case: if the wait staff of a restaurant all parked in front of the building, and the patron was forced to walk from a distance, this would discourage patrons from going to the establishment.
"Although the context is different in terms of location and service, the roles of participants remain close to the same."
The mindset that employees of the university simply provide a service to its paying student customers, with roles completely governed by the free market system, is alarming, widespread and often goes unchallenged. This same argument can be (and has been) used to argue for a passing grade, a diploma and so on: the customers paid their money.
The university and its employees do not provide a consumable good or material product, but serves as a unique environment where students are afforded the opportunity to acquire the intellectual and social skills to thrive in modern society. That, alone, is a really good deal.
Jonathan Blitz
Professor of chemistry
A misleading issue
Monday's edition of Daily Eastern News provided a mixed message. Whereas a front-page article ("Walking to Remember") extols the benefits of walking, including raising awareness for cancer victims, an editorial piece ("No more gambling on finding that parking spot") does exactly the opposite.
This campus has far greater problems with its infrastructure (e.g., a steam plant barely running on 1920's technology) than a paucity of parking lots. Instead of continuing your mantra for more parking like it is some sort of entitlement for being a part of the EIU community, why not encourage folks to walk or ride bikes to campus?
With fuel prices continuing to rise and environmental quality continuing to decline, reminding your readers about healthy, cost-effective modes of transportation would seem to be a sounder editorial stance.
Stephen J. Mullin, Ph.D.
Associate professor of biological sciences
Pictures can save lives
A picture can be worth a thousand words, or even more. It might even help save lives. Water-borne illness is a leading cause of death in developing countries. A child dies every 15 seconds because of unclean water.
This week, Eastern President Bill Perry is lending his time to make a difference. You can have your picture taken with the president for a small donation. The proceeds will go toward the Clean Water El Salvador project to provide sustainable bio-sand water filters. This semester, Baptist Campus Ministries has been partnering with campus organizations to help save lives by raising funds for bio-sand filters.
The sociology club, several professors, Christian Campus House's H20 project, local churches and many students have offered their support. The needs around us are many and some might think greater than the resources at our disposal.
But for the small sum of $30, a water filter can be installed that can provide almost 100 gallons of clean water a day. Providing clean water is just one way that we can make a difference, and we don't have to travel to another country with BCM, Christian Campus House or the Newman Center to have a profound impact there.
Something as simple as having your picture taken with President Perry can help save at least one child's life. If you have the time, stop and get your picture taken, and you'll help save lives and have a lasting reminder of a world in need and differences made.
Times and locations are 1:30-3 p.m. Today on the North Quad by the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union, 2-3:30 p.m. Friday at Celebration on the Library Quad, or by the Union Food Court in case of rain.
Tim Boyce
Campus Minister BCM, President
Association of Campus Ministries
The Monday staff editorial on parking argues that upperclassmen should be allowed to park in faculty/staff spots. While I oppose this, my deepest opposition is reserved for some of the stated rationale. The most offensive portion of the editorial board's position is stated as follows: "Eastern is a university where students pay to come for education, and faculty members are paid to educate. An analogy of a restaurant comes to mind in this case: if the wait staff of a restaurant all parked in front of the building, and the patron was forced to walk from a distance, this would discourage patrons from going to the establishment.
"Although the context is different in terms of location and service, the roles of participants remain close to the same."
The mindset that employees of the university simply provide a service to its paying student customers, with roles completely governed by the free market system, is alarming, widespread and often goes unchallenged. This same argument can be (and has been) used to argue for a passing grade, a diploma and so on: the customers paid their money.
The university and its employees do not provide a consumable good or material product, but serves as a unique environment where students are afforded the opportunity to acquire the intellectual and social skills to thrive in modern society. That, alone, is a really good deal.
Jonathan Blitz
Professor of chemistry
A misleading issue
Monday's edition of Daily Eastern News provided a mixed message. Whereas a front-page article ("Walking to Remember") extols the benefits of walking, including raising awareness for cancer victims, an editorial piece ("No more gambling on finding that parking spot") does exactly the opposite.
This campus has far greater problems with its infrastructure (e.g., a steam plant barely running on 1920's technology) than a paucity of parking lots. Instead of continuing your mantra for more parking like it is some sort of entitlement for being a part of the EIU community, why not encourage folks to walk or ride bikes to campus?
With fuel prices continuing to rise and environmental quality continuing to decline, reminding your readers about healthy, cost-effective modes of transportation would seem to be a sounder editorial stance.
Stephen J. Mullin, Ph.D.
Associate professor of biological sciences
Pictures can save lives
A picture can be worth a thousand words, or even more. It might even help save lives. Water-borne illness is a leading cause of death in developing countries. A child dies every 15 seconds because of unclean water.
This week, Eastern President Bill Perry is lending his time to make a difference. You can have your picture taken with the president for a small donation. The proceeds will go toward the Clean Water El Salvador project to provide sustainable bio-sand water filters. This semester, Baptist Campus Ministries has been partnering with campus organizations to help save lives by raising funds for bio-sand filters.
The sociology club, several professors, Christian Campus House's H20 project, local churches and many students have offered their support. The needs around us are many and some might think greater than the resources at our disposal.
But for the small sum of $30, a water filter can be installed that can provide almost 100 gallons of clean water a day. Providing clean water is just one way that we can make a difference, and we don't have to travel to another country with BCM, Christian Campus House or the Newman Center to have a profound impact there.
Something as simple as having your picture taken with President Perry can help save at least one child's life. If you have the time, stop and get your picture taken, and you'll help save lives and have a lasting reminder of a world in need and differences made.
Times and locations are 1:30-3 p.m. Today on the North Quad by the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union, 2-3:30 p.m. Friday at Celebration on the Library Quad, or by the Union Food Court in case of rain.
Tim Boyce
Campus Minister BCM, President
Association of Campus Ministries
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