Ryan

A recent decision by the Kansas Department of Education would have William Allen White rolling in his grave.

The department plans on cutting the career and technology education funding, which helps subsidize the technical side of publications, including cameras and software, for journalism classes in 2012. The reason? The state has decided that journalism is no longer a viable career and does not prepare students for “high demand,” “high skill” and “high wage” jobs. Apparently those are the standards of success in Kansas.

So why should you care?

These high school journalism classes feed collegiate programs across the state, which in turn produce practicing journalists who help inform the electorate.

As someone who took journalism classes at a high school with a strong program, this course of events is especially troubling for me, as I’ve seen how the skills students learn in journalism courses often go beyond the classroom.

Mary Anne McCloud and Erica Rickard, my journalism teachers at Newton High School, taught courses that focused on critical thinking, interpersonal communications, writing and working with the latest design software, while encouraging students to create a product that examined the world around them.

White would be disturbed by KSDE’s move because he was a proponent of journalism education – even the J-School at the University of Kansas is named after him. White, who won two Pulitzer Prizes, knew the value of journalism ina democracy and stood up to the Ku Klux Klan in the pages of the Emporia Gazette during the racist ‘20s.

Journalism serves as a pillar of a democracy, a watchdog of the government that, at the local level, can connect our communities and at the state and national levels, give us perspective on our society.

Aren’t you tired of those pundits on the national networks? That’s not real journalism. But if we teach our youth the fundamentals of journalism and its importance in a society, we might be able to win back an honest media.

Thomas Jefferson said it best:

“Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”

I’m starting to agree. Perhaps the Kansas Department of Education should focus its efforts on making better citizens, not just better employees.

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Hemphill

This summer, I spent two months in Korea teaching English to college students. It was an experience I will never forget for more reasons than I have room to write. My students were excited about learning, and it made my job easier than I initially thought it was going to be.

But throughout the entire teaching process, I could not shake the thought that the reason it was so much easier for me as a teacher was not merely because the students simply wanted to learn the language, it was that they had a prior knowledge of the language that was essential to what I taught them.

The first day of class, I asked where they had learned English initially and the response that all my students gave me was that it was required of them from an early age to learn a second language.

From the time they are toddlers, Korean students begin the process of learning English at the same time that they are learning to master their native tongue. To me, this was not only inspiring, but also a difference in culture that stuck with me throughout the entire process.

What I thought then, and continue to think, is that America, being one of, if not the most powerful nation in the world, has somehow been convinced that learning another language is not beneficial or even necessary. This is a huge problem.

With the rapid globalization we are experiencing, having the ability to speak more than one language is an incredible asset. Language connects people. Being able to speak to person from a different culture in their native tongue will go a long way in terms of building a relationship with that person.

Korea is not the only example of this occurrence. When I studied in Europe, I found that not only did most of the Europeans I met know English as their second language, they were fluent or at least semi-fluent in a third language as well. It’s the norm in these countries.

America should be no different. For America to call itself the greatest country in the world, it needs to continue to be a place where cultures meet and blend, where people from any culture can find a home and feel like they belong. That is what this country was founded on. The Melting Pot must continue to be stirred for future generations of Americans to stand a chance.

It starts with the small things. Teaching other languages to young children is just one way that America can continue to carry on the spirit of multiculturalism that has somehow been lost along the way.

Elementary schools should implement foreign language curriculums nationwide. Learning another language should not be postponed until high school or college. It should not be considered going above and beyond what is required. Learning a foreign language from a young age should be the norm in this country.

The poet Ezra Pound once said, “The sum of human wisdom is not contained in any one language.”

Childhood is the beginning of the acquisition of knowledge. Why, then, is America trying to limit the amount of knowledge a child can learn from the very beginning?

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By Ellen Weiss

As the new school year stretches its fledgling wings, it is obvious that the overall appearance of campus is somewhat different than it was last year.

As soon as the spring semester ended, construction crews moved into the Memorial Union to begin the process of renovation after nearly one and a half years of anticipation.

The most obvious change in the physical outline of the union is the relocation of the student bookstore, formally located on the first floor of the union in plain view for anyone seeking to find textbooks, school supplies or ESU apparel. Now, however, the bookstore has been moved into the basement of the union, in the space formally occupied by the Office of International Education which moved into a space in Morse Hall that, in the past, was used as part of the student dormitories.

Phew!

As you can clearly see and have most likely experienced firsthand, this whole relocation process has made things a bit convoluted and at times downright confusing. The widespread relocations on campus have made it a more difficult for the average student to navigate his or her way around campus without taking a detour or even backtracking to find the location they are looking for.

Students and faculty are not the only ones directly affected by the construction process. When visitors come to ESU they will have one of two thoughts about the renovations happening on campus. They will be impressed that ESU is taking the initiative to improve the campus, or they will be annoyed by the difficulties associated with getting around a campus under construction.

Either way, a significant impression will be made on visitors to our campus. An impression they will take away from ESU and relay to others.

Returning students are bound to notice differences throughout the campus. The library is different; the union is under construction; some of the dormitories have received a facelift. These are all good things in the long run, however, at the current moment in time they seem more as inconveniences than anything else.

The main way to solve the issues students and staff are facing with the renovations is communication. The renovation should be documented better on its website, www.emporia.edu/murenovation.

Maps should be made available on this website and placed at strategic locations throughout the campus. These small changes would be infinitely better than the current situation, wherein it seems that students are left to figure out the changes on campus for themselves.

If the administration does a better job of communicating what areas of the university are being affected by this process and when, then the problems that we are currently facing could be lessened or, ideally, solved altogether.

In two years, these inconveniences will be a thing of the past. But for now, it is an annoying fact of life here at ESU. The easier it is for students here on campus, the better experience it will be for everyone. It starts with the little things.

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Pedersen

On Monday, I have a photojournalism class in the evening. The first Monday back is always a tiring one, so I decided to buy a Mountain Dew during our break to wake myself up. So I went to the vending machine, pulled out my $1.25 and prepared my mouth for some limey refreshment.

But alas, there was no Dew to be had. In fact, there were no Pepsi products at all, and the drinks cost $1.50. And it was then I remembered that Emporia State had signed a deal with Coca Cola to sell their products exclusively.

Now I am not a man who has to have a soda every day, nor do I really prefer Pepsi over Coke. I will enjoy a soft drink from time to time, but not very often. But when I do enjoy a bottle of the bubbly, I do not want to pay as much for 16 ounces as I would for an immense 44 ounces at the Kwik Shop across the street.

And, of course, it is not just soda that has risen in price, but also juice and bottled water. A few years ago, bottles of soda were only $1 and they haven’t risen by that much anywhere else.

When the school signed the deal with Coca Cola, it seems that they were cutting out competition in exchange for, perhaps, a larger cut of the profits. The prices of Coca Cola products have not risen anywhere else. It is only on campus that we are forced to pay extra, if we choose to drink things from a vending machine.

This bothers me.

It may not be a big deal. It is only a quarter. But it shows to me the trends that ESU has been following and it shows what they could do in the future. Perhaps they will require art supplies and books to be purchased exclusively from the campus bookstore and enforce it by threat of fines.

Hopefully that will never happen, but if they continue to reduce competition, we could eventually find ourselves in a situation like that. Our entire economic structure is based on choice and preference, and they are rocking the boat.

We are a capitalistic society and competition is the backbone of our economy. The cola wars have been going on for as long as I can remember, back to the days of Pepsi Blue and Coke’s failed new recipe.

Now the school has cut out that competition in exchange for a deal. I can understand that the school always has a need to be greedy, we are renovating the Memorial Union and, let’s face it, much of the rest of the campus could use a renovation as well.

But I still don’t see that as an excuse to charge us more for soda. Student fees have already been raised and they will probably continue to be, so why not add in some extra money for what we can maybe assume the school can make from soda and call it even?

Personally, I will not buy into this game. I have not purchased anything from a vending machine yet this year, and I don’t plan on doing it in the future. I will gladly bring a bottle of water from home which I can reuse before I will pay an exorbitant amount for a bottle of water from a vending machine, and I urge you to do the same.

¡Viva la Revolución!

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McCall

Somewhere between the constant flickering of yours eyes from left to right and the muttering of obscene things, you realize that the thirty minutes you set aside to find parking before class is not so slowly evaporating in this dry Kansas heat. By this point there is no doubt that a mild panic has begun to set in.

Parking on campus can be a traumatic event. Yes campus provides an allotted space for off-campus students—if a permit is bought—but those spaces tend to fill up quite quickly. In this type of situation only two solutions come to mind: arrive early or walk.

I confess that mornings are not my favorite, so that automatically rules out arriving early to hunt for a parking place, leaving only the option of walking to class left available to me. Walking has more benefits than just lowering your stress levels when it comes to parking.

It single handedly puts money back into my pocket. Finding ways to save on gas has become a hobby of sorts for me.  The way I see it, the less I need to spend on gas the more mobility I truly have. I can go see that new movie being released, or just be able to go out with some friends on the weekend.

The walk itself isn’t even that bad. It give me the necessary time needed to completely wake up, listen to my music and prep myself for the oncoming day. To even think of starting my day without my music and coffee is a terrifying thought.  Almost sounds like the start to a bad horror film.

After psyching myself up for the day with three of my favorite songs, the walk is over. By the end of my adventure—which is sure to become routine—I am wide awake and ready to begin another day.

It is interesting how physical activity that early in the morning can be so energizing throughout the rest of the day. Seems to me that it is true what people say about being active. Go figure.

At least one good thing came out of the start of this semester: I no longer need to worry about having a parking permit for campus.

Amanda McCall

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Ryan

Yet another school year begins. For some of us at Emporia State, it’s a familiar routine – check our classes, buy our books, catch up with old friends and make sure our financial aid went through.

But for others, life at ESU is a new experience.

Some are incoming freshman, eager young faces ready to learn and – in some instances – party. Others are transfer or non-traditional students, waiting to see what new opportunities our school can create for them. Still others are international students, of all different backgrounds, religions and cultures, who might not have any idea what to expect other than the typical pop-culture college references.

One thing is certain: all of us have a thread that bonds us together once we come to ESU. Because of that bond, we have a responsibility to make things on our campus better for everyone.

Once the initial excitement wears off and the daily grind begins, think about what you can do to make our campus more inclusive.

For instance, ESU boasts a large international student population. But why do we so often see American students only with other Americans and international students only with other international students?

There’s a large disconnect on our campus between these two groups and all of us should make a greater effort to meet people from other backgrounds and expand our knowledge of the world. That’s what college is about, isn’t it?

International students aren’t the only ones who would benefit from American friends. I cannot begin to explain in the space on this page how much I’ve learned in becoming friends with international students at ESU and how I’ve developed a greater cultural understanding because of those relationships.

It might feel strange to strike up a conversation with someone you don’t know or think you have nothing in common with, but the benefits will greater outweigh that initial awkwardness.

Perhaps an even greater disconnect at ESU is between the students and the community. People often think about ESU as a “commuter campus,” where students leave on the weekends to visit family or work. Some complain there aren’t enough jobs available in Emporia. Others say there just isn’t anything to do for fun. Student apathy is a problem.

We can help change that. Get people talking. Wish there was more live music in town? Want to bring more restaurants closer to campus? Do something about it. Write a letter to the editor. Meet with the ASG president. Talk to different Recognized Student Organizations. Visit with the people in charge of Main Street. The list goes on.

Most of the time, if our college experience hasn’t lived up to our own expectations, it’s because we didn’t do enough with what we were given. The tools are here, so use them.

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A new year at Emporia State means a new start and an abundance of golden opportunities to meet new people and share and discuss ideas with others from all walks of life. The Bulletin is excited for a new school year, and a new year of the paper. 2011 marks the 110^th anniversary of the first publication of The Bulletin, and we want to make this year’s newspaper the best it’s ever been.

The Bulletin’s motto is “The students’ voice since 1901.” We truly believe in this motto, and hope that students understand that we at The Bulletin are dedicated to ensuring that this motto remains true. The only way that this can happen is for students at ESU to use The Bulletin as a medium for voicing questions, concerns and comments about ESU, Emporia and the surrounding area.

Emporia is a kind of melting pot of students from every political, religious and cultural viewpoint, and every person on campus should have the same opportunity to present his or her own opinion. The only sure way to learn about any subject, event or school of thought is to learn and understand every possible side of the issue.

We believe that The Bulletin can help educate everyone at ESU about this school, this city, and events on a global scale. But, this transference of knowledge is completely dependent on the students who contribute to the paper. We strongly encourage anyone who is interested in voicing their views in a more public forum to apply at The Bulletin, comment on articles on the paper’s website (esubulletin.com) and write letters to the editor, which are published in the opinion section of the paper. We are always interested in including numerous viewpoints in every edition of the paper in order to ensure that all sides of every issue are presented.

We strive to make The Bulletin a starting point for campus-related discussions. Our greatest mission for the articles included in every edition of The Bulletin is to stimulate constructive and civil debate among ESU students. We do not simply want to report the news; we want our readers to think about the news, to talk about the news, and to motivate other students to take part in the intellectual community at ESU.

The Bulletin has been producing news about Emporia State and the surrounding area since 1901. Throughout that time, the paper has been a student-led production. In order to properly represent the entire student body, students from all political, religious and cultural stances should be seen in print. Those interested in applying for a position at The Bulletin should come to The Bulletin office, on the third floor of the Memorial Union, to pick up an application.

Students at ESU deserve to be heard, and we at The Bulletin want nothing more than to give every student the power to have his or her voice heard by all.

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Rivers

Welcome Hornets!

On behalf of the Associated Student Government, please allow me to welcome you to the 2010-2011 academic school year! Whether this is your first time on the ESU campus or you are an old pro, we are all very excited to see you!

Like each new academic year, this one brings so many wonderful opportunities – new friendships, connections, memories, lessons, and adventures. My message to you is simple; do not pass up on any of these new chances that present themselves!

Higher education is all about taking bold steps, living life to its fullest and learning new things. I highly encourage each of you to get involved with one of the 140 recognized student organizations, take a course outside of your major, study abroad, join an intramural sports team, volunteer in the community or pursue an internship. Truly, the list goes on and on!

Whatever path you follow this year, always be true to your passions and make the most of every opportunity that this University will provide you. Remember, education takes place not only within the confines of the classroom, but in the mundane and exciting experiences of everyday life. Make the very most of your time spent here, because it goes by fast!

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact myself or any other member of Associated Student Government. You can reach us at the Center for Student Involvement office located on the Memorial Union Main Street, by phone at 341-5481, or e-mail me at asgpres@emporia.edu.

Our priority is students and our passion is service. We are here to improve your experience here at Emporia State. Once again, welcome to another exciting year; it’s a great day to be a Hornet!

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A potentially explosive situation is at hand.

The Sunflower, Emporia State’s yearbook for over 100 years, may be in danger of becoming a class instead of an independent publication.

And frankly, that’s unacceptable.

Currently, the Sunflower is designated as an independent publication in the university handbook and the Student Media Board constitution.

However, according to the Teaching Load Reassigned Time Draft Proposal of April 19, a university report, the adviser for the Sunflower was not listed as receiving any release time to advise the publication. The report was in response to inefficiency concerns in the Legislative Post Audit and from the Kansas Board of Regents.

If the Sunflower becomes a class, as has been proposed by some administrators, the Sunflower will lose its independence.

When a publication loses its independence, it is not just losing a title. The students who work on the publication in a classroom lose the ability to choose what ultimately appears in print.

Prior review becomes the name of the game. Instructors (who, at a state school are seen as extensions of the state) have the ability to edit or completely eliminate anything they want from publication.

We are pre-professionals, not high school journalists, and many of us are using our experience as workplace training. If these changes were to occur, how could students continue to receive salaries? How could an editor discipline his or her peers in a classroom setting? How can the Sunflower continue to function as an independent publication when the instructor – who answers to the administration – has the option of giving a bad grade to a student? How can an instructor not be retaliated against by the administration for what they “allow” students to publish in a classroom setting?

Independence of student publications, especially at a public university, is a pillar of free speech in America. Our greatest fear is that turning the yearbook into a class would set a precedent for all student publications – a precedent that would destroy the integrity of the journalism program and the people in it.

There is no doubt that the articles in the Sunflower vary from those in the Bulletin. But despite the type or quality of content produced by these publications, free speech must be protected.

On a campus where freedom of expression is (or at least should be) a core value, there must be a free and vibrant press.

If the Sunflower is turned into a class, is the Bulletin far behind?

We call upon the administration to scrap any plans it may have to turn the Sunflower into a “class project.”

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Alex Pedersen

Emporia State University is a great school.

I respect and love this place and I have been enjoying going to school here for years. I love the teachers, the classes, the architecture, the history and, of course, all of my peers. The campus is beautiful and I am genuinely happy I chose ESU.

ESU may be fairly small, but it is moving forward, trying to become bigger as we can see with things like the Union renovation. Despite its size, ESU seems to be as open-minded and progressive as any larger school.

But we have a single designated “free speech zone” on our campus.

Ridiculous.

The entire campus should be a free speech zone, there should be absolutely no censorship on the campus.

Now, that is not to say that microphones are listening in on your conversations, waiting to hear you insult a teacher outside of the zone. It does mean that a recognized student organization, or any organization for that matter, can only proliferate propaganda on one small part of the school.

The rules are that an RSO can use chalk to advertise for something anywhere on the sidewalk on campus, but they can only write political and persuasive messages in the confines of the Union Square. Also, offensive messages are disallowed. These rules also apply for any public demonstration, like the protest against the Iraq war a few years ago.

I can understand that ESU would not want spray paint on their sidewalks or buildings, although a college that had an open graffiti policy would probably be the coolest looking school possible.

I can also see the argument against a campus-wide free speech zone. We are already bombarded with so many messages, it will only create clutter and the school could be held responsible for any offensive messages.

But we are all adults. If you ever watch more than 30 minutes of television, then you can see how you are already bombarded with persuasive messages. Every single advertisement and TV show you watch is filled with various messages on what to buy, who to believe, what to do.

I would say that it takes at least a certain amount of intelligence to come to school, so it’s safe to reason that every single student at ESU is smart enough to interpret and evaluate any message they see. If students saw the message, “do not go to class today,” it is likely that most would still go to class because we can think rationally. We are able to disagree and not follow a message’s command if we do not want to, we are all mentally competent.

So why is the school treating us like they are an overbearing parent, like we are stupid? Why do they want to censor anything that could be controversial? Why are they forcing anything with any passion into the choke hold of the Union Square?

The answer is fear. They give us the chalkboard of the Union Square because they don’t want us to write on the wall with our crayons.

It is odd that the school chose the Union Square to be its free speech zone, as it is at the heart of the school. But it is also tucked away and a very small area, it would be hard to get more than 100 people in the Square comfortably. I am reminded of a singer with a beautiful, powerful, strong voice that is forced to wear a muzzle.

A University is naturally a hub for ideas and knowledge, an exchange point for brilliance. Each day we go to class, we are trading intelligence and learning from each other. There is no need to censor us to any degree because we are all able to judge for ourselves what we believe or do not.

Fuck Censorship.

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Harrison George

This is the last issue of The Bulletin for this semester. As we wind down the year and prepare for finals all eyes are on summer vacation.

Summer means a break from school and enjoying the great weather outdoors. For Emporians it also means a mass exodus of students as they return home for two months. Unlike other college towns such as Lawrence and Manhattan Emporia does not seem to retain its student population during the summer months.

This could be for a couple of reasons. Students wish to return to their homes to be with their family and friends. Others return home to resume a job left on hold or because their city has more job opportunities than Emporia.

But the majority of students seem to leave Emporia for the summer simply because they feel there isn’t enough to do within the city. Emporia has long tried to fight its reputation of being a slow town without much to entertain its college-aged crowd.

It’s true that if you compare Emporia to bigger cities like Wichita or Kansas City it appears that Emporia is lacking in entertainment or jobs. But if you were to take the time to really look Emporia over you might realize there is plenty going on to keep someone occupied and entertained during the summer.

First to be mentioned should be the music scene. Emporia’s live music scene has begun to rebuild itself after a three year lull and the summertime is always a high point for good shows. Beer:30 will be opening its scenic beer garden area which is perfect for live music.

Live in the Lot will also be starting up come summertime. Live in the Lot is the yearly music event held in the Farmer’s Market parking lot that showcases good live bands for the whole family to enjoy. There will be concerts held there throughout the summer.

In terms of other entertainment the historic Granada Theater will continue to show films throughout the summer on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Tickets are cheap and the movies are fun for dates or just a night out with friends.

If you are looking for something to do outdoors go explore one of Emporia’s 18 parks spread throughout the city. Or check out the zoo (the largest free zoo in the country) and see what the animals are up to during the heat of the summer.

As always the ESU theatre department will be putting on a wide array of plays from comedies to musicals to dramas.  You can check them out throughout the summer for a very reasonable cost.

And of course all the great local restaurants you know and love in Emporia will be there day in and day out to serve up delicious foods. You’ll even be able to visit some of the restaurants that might be hard to get to during the school year because of their limited hours (Amanda’s Bakery, for example).

The more students we can get to stay in Emporia during the summer the better the end result will be for all of us. If you stay in Emporia and spend your money at locally owned businesses they can use their profits to reinvest in their business and in the Emporia community. This will only help the economy grow and expand. The more it expands the better the shopping and dining experience will be for everyone.

But in order to get there they need your business and your support as a customer.

Everyone knows that Emporia has a reputation for being a little slow. But if you do your part to become engaged in the local community and economy you can help make that reputation a distant memory and we can all enjoy the benefits of a thriving booming Emporia.

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