Forum
The Battalion
Page 4B • Thursday, January 29,2(|
Students must overcome ‘entitlement’ mentalit]
G raduates who demon
strated exemplary
work ethic put Texas
A&M on the map, but I fear
that our current generation of
Aggies is being overly trans
formed and influenced by a
contemporary American atti
tude of entitlement.
While A&M University
President Robert M. Gates
outlined an admissions plan based
on individual merit, any current stu
dent who begins to feel as if he
deserves to be at A&M based solely
on what he has achieved in the past
is sorely misguided — it is a contin
ual commitment.
Some students think they are enti
tled to be here because of their test
scores; others because of the maroon
MATT
JOSEFY
in their blood; and still others
because of some special
aspect they believe they will
bring to campus. While all of
these can be factors in the
admissions process, a sense of
entitlement must be left
behind upon arriving in
College Station.
The moment someone
attempts to rest on his lau
rels is the moment our collective
Aggie pride stops growing. Each
and every one of us who attends this
institution should expect to be chal
lenged and called to put forth our
best effort at all times. Any other
attitude will wreak havoc on every
aspect of our University, from aca
demics to traditions.
How guilty are we of walking into
our classrooms and expecting to
receive a maximum grade while con
tributing only marginal effort? How
guilty are we of expecting A&M tra
ditions to remain strong, but justify
our absences at Sul Ross on Tuesday
nights and Kyle Field on the week
ends? How guilty are we of boasting
about “Howdy!” but spending all of
our time between classes on a cell
phone? How guilty are we of bemoan
ing the diminishing atmosphere, but
sitting in silence next to a person on
the bus? How guilty are we of want
ing to hold leadership positions, but
being unwilling to undergo leadership
training and development?
I certainly can’t claim to have
coined the phrase, but anything worth
having comes at a substantial cost.
In the past, the rights and privi
leges of Aggies have been bought
through difficult and trying condi
tions, lives spent at war, strict disci
pline and financial hardship. As more
of us have moved into satisfying liv
ing arrangements, chosen less
demanding fields of study and
become more in-tune with our techno
logical gadgets than our neighbors,
we have become less likely to under
stand the concepts of sacrifice and
hard work.
These are the values which we
must once again cherish if we are to
survive the many challenges that we
face as a University. These challenges
range from striving to maintain our
distinctive heritage and traditions to
ensuring the continued sense of Aggie
family and facing increasing costs to
coping with the Information Age.
There are hundreds of students
who want to be here and who would
take your spot on this campus in a
heartbeat. In what way are you con
tributing and giving back to this
University community? Perhaps we
have become so focused on debate*
and discussions about Aggie Spirit
that we have forgotten the effort we
must put forth to keep it alive.
Regardless of any other element
our backgrounds and achievements
we must all be committed to excel
lence. Doing so is the only way to
ensure that our University maintain!
its reputation for yielding graduates
with a superior work ethic.
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Parking problem unsolved
As a former student and current staff member,
I see more than one side of the parking issue.
As a student, I had all of my classes on main
campus, but worked on West Campus, out
past the bus barn on Agronomy Rd.
Quite frankly, for people in the same position
that I was in, the new plan for parking sucks.
It puts you at the mercy of buses, which
means also that you are at the mercy of the
weather, since most of the bus stops are not
covered in any way.
It made me angry to think that PTTS (they
will never be TS to me) would limit me to one
parking lot, when I needed access to so many.
I worked with my problem in the only way I
could: I blocked all my classes together one
after the other and came and parked my car at
seven every morning so that I would get a spot.
Then I worked every afternoon and managed
to move my car from a lot near Zachry to a lot
on Agronomy.
I did a lot of walking. It was not much fun.
But as a staff worker now I also see the
issues that the faculty and staff raise. As a
staff worker I work eight hours a day in one
building and I can understand being miffed
about having to fight for parking space. Here
in the Vet School every day is a fight pretty
much, even in this yellow lot.
There are so many people to accommodate
on this campus that there are no easy solu
tions to the parking issues raised.
However, the person who wrote the mail call
should remember: Students attend the
University, but they do not necessarily run the
University.
This University is primarily driven by
research. I work in the Veterinary School and
most of the money generated and earned is by
grants given to various professors to conduct
their research.
In fact, a lot of the payroll here for the
undergraduate students is paid by that same
grant money. So before the writer assumes
that he is the most important person on cam
pus, they should realize that their tuition does
not fund everything, including the professors'
salaries.
Realize that this University is a place where
people come to learn and that the privilege of
learning here is just that: a privilege.
farmers who will no longer be able to 9eB ,entu
their fields. However, the loss of his ance^ 1,10
land and
Mandi Moore Michaelson
Class of 2003
a one-time compensation does* 6626
put food in the mouths of a farmer’s cbi* e dis
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Erecting walls not answer
In response to Daniel Rossell's Jan. 23 column:
Mr. Rossell states that the Israeli government
is justified in erecting a wall in order to protect
the Israeli people from Palestinian terrorist
groups, and that it is a step towards peace.
Unfortunately, the wall will not curtail the vio
lence and injustice of the Israeli government
against the Palestinian people.
Rossell contends that life will be easier for
Palestinians because the wall will circumvent
the need for a large Israeli presence in the
West Bank, but he provides no evidence to
support the alleged Israeli intention to with
draw its soldiers. He tries to show the over
whelming humanitarianism of the Israeli gov
ernment due to its offer of compensation to
month after month after month. But j
Rossell says, “the Palestinians have to rJ
compromises as well."
In reality, the wall will only increase these]
of frustration and the difficulties alreadyfa]
a besieged population. It was not a rarer]
even before the wall, for Palestinian motheJ
die in labor before ever reaching hosp]
because of being deliberately held id
checkpoints. This wall will only increased
tragedies such as these. A U.N. reL
released just this month states that almorj^ ,>
entire group of refugees referred to Jerusa
for medical attention will have to cross the*
not to mention a large number of Palesh
medical professionals.
The best defense against violence bor
desperation is not another wall; it is the sir
dispensation of justice to people.
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\ln re,
The Bridal Association
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I2th Annual
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Reed Arena
11:00am - 4:00pm
Continuous Fashion Show with surprise guest appearance
New feature:
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Blackjack tables and snack bar ^ '
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Cayman Islands Department of Tourism/
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Diamond Sponsors:
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Newman Printing
Vegas Convention and Visitor’s Bureau
Proceeds from tickets sales will be used to benefit:
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P. David Romei Visual Arts Center
Tickets are $10 at Reed Arena, MSC Box Office or Ticketmaster
For More Information
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