Letters to the editor

Dear Editor,

I find it extremely offensive that a student took it upon themselves to steal The CT to presumably prevent people from seeing something they did not like. This kind of behavior is downright deplorable. It shows immaturity and lack of understanding of procedural common sense. While I am not a huge fan of The CT, and only ever pick it up to read the editorials if I find something offensive, I do not commit a crime to “save” others from the experience.

Grace Howard’s letters to the editor in Monday’s edition shows exactly what is wrong with the current state of activism in this country. The first half of her first letter was why she was offended by the photograph and caption. The second half of her letter is harsh criticism of Opinion Editor Sarah Sonies, who has no effect on the cover story.

Furthermore, she submitted two letters to the editor to get her thoughts across. This is the problem with activism today: Be offended now and think later. This approach to getting things done is not how the real world works. While I doubt it would be possible to resolve my and Ms. Howard’s difference of opinion over the appropriateness of the photograph and caption, I can offer a few suggestions to anyone who is offended by something in The CT.

First, remember The CT is a student-run publication, and while they have a responsibility to journalistic integrity, “shock media” is something that even the biggest of news agencies practice. It’s not something just for tabloids-turn on Fox News or CNN sometime. Second, the Opinion Section is a place for all the media that is not newsworthy. I realize for some it is a hard concept to understand, but Ms. Sonies’ often whimsical and amusing editorials are there because she can choose to write them. If Ms. Howard, or anyone else was offended by “this garbage,” please begin to submit worthwhile opinions to Ms. Sonies. I have submitted pieces several times and I am positive that she gives a fair print to anyone who submits worthwhile pieces.

Some follow-up notes on activism: Just because a woman shaves her legs, dyes her hair, or follows the rules does not mean that she is any less of a woman-or cares any less about what is important to women. From a student’s perspective, one of the most respected professors in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs happens to wear heels, Prada and Dior everyday. She is very much a woman, and very much respected by her students. She also has done amazing things with her life that advance women’s issues.

Please, to all want-to-be activists on campus, before you start yelling into the wind, take a moment to think about how the world really works. What is standard operating procedure? How can you go through the channels of institutions to rectify your percieved “wrong-doing”?

I am a big advocate of progress, and personally believe strongly in advancing many issues including women’s rights, gay rights and fixing VCU’s SGA. I also know the appropriate way to go about dealing with these things-none of which result in “fighting the man,” not dying my hair or resorting to criminal behavior.

-Darrell Coffey

Dear Editor:

On Tuesday, the VCU Faculty Senate voted against extending the add/drop period at VCU by three days.

The MCV and Monroe Park Campus Student Government Association recently passed a proposal to extend the add/drop period from seven to 10 days. The proposal was presented to the Faculty Senate at their meeting on April 7 by SGA President Jibran Muhammad. The proposal included a “no cost add/drop” period that would maintain the current add/drop period and add a “late fee drop only” period that would charge students a “processing fee” for dropping a class after the seven-day period.

Several members of the Senate Faculty voiced opposition to extending the add/drop period. The theatre department faculty unanimously voted “no” on the SGA proposal prior to the Faculty Senate meeting on Tuesday. Lou Szari, a theatre department faculty member, proposed an alternate add/drop process.

Both MCV and Monroe Park SGAs were in favor of extending add/drop, but the faculty senate was strongly opposed to it. Although the proposal from Lou Szari shows that the theatre department took time to seriously consider extending add/drop, offering a counter proposal that would financially penalize student shows that the theatre department does not have the interest of the students at heart.

The VCU Faculty Senate also voted in favor of adopting a plus/minus grade proposal from the Faculty Senate student affairs committee. The proposal would recommend changing the current university grading scale to a grading scale that incorporates pluses and minuses with the letter grade. This change would mean that students who currently earn borderline grades would receive a minus or a plus that would affect their GPA.

A student who requested anonymity said to me, “I barely make passing grades. If those “C’s turn into C minuses I’m (expletive deleted).”

Sincerely,
Stephen Straus