• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1979-03-08_Vol44_No24_16

PAGE 16/THE WESTERN CAROLINIAN/MARCH 8, 1979 Carolinian opinion and commentary Dodson 'mistake' angers student Dear Editor, Last week 1 encountered a most embarrasing situation. While eating lunch in Dodson cafeteria, a friend of mine sat down to eat with me. After he observed his barbeque sandwich, he asked me if I wanted it. I simply replied "Sure I'll eat it. Don't throw it away." Considering he was nice enough to ask if I wanted his leftovers I said 1 would also take his tray. So while eating my second sandwich, guess who walks up: Mr. Cecil Ward. For those who do not know Mr. Ward, he is our food service director. Well, the purpose fbr his visit was to find out where I got my second barbeque sandwich. Not knowing what to say, 1 said it was on a plate already on the table. His implications were that I was a thief and he had witnesses saying that my friend had used his meal ticket to provide food for me. I then told Mr. Ward the real way I acquired my sandwich. I said I went through the line with my meal ticket, my friend went through with his ticket. He didn't want his sandwich so-instead of wasting it I said I would eat it. But Mr. Ward said that was stealing, but I say that's pure bullshit! If I didn't have a ticket and a friend got lunch for me with his ticket, well 1 then could see the purpose of Mr. Ward's crude, rude, and socially unacceptable visit. On top of thi--. security was brought inside the cafeteria. It is so sad that security has nothing better to do than chase down students eating barbeque sandwiches. The outcome of this whole farce is that I was subject to pay $2 for thi sandwich. All of you students ask yourselves, and you too, Mr. Ward, this question: Have you ever eaten something off a friend's plate that he didn't want? Well thats what I did and that is by no means stealing. Why throw food away when it can legitimately be eaten. The only loss in this most embarrassing situation is my $2 and my total lack of respect for Mr. Ward. I definitely think I should be refunded and most of all apologized to. Sincerely, Tony E. Holloway Who grades profs? Dear Editor, Who grades the teacher? In the February 22 issue of the Western Carolinian a letter appeared: "An open letter to students." The letter from Chancellor Robinson invited students to vote for "the most outstanding teacher." The letter also listed publicly a list of previous recipients. Although students are given the opportunity to evaluate a teacher, no public record is presented of sub-standard performances by professors. Once again, I ask the question, Who grades the teacher? Possibly because I have experience in news reporting, or for what ever reason, when I take notes in a college classroom I take notes on everything. When a professor deviates from the subject matter. I don't put down my pen. I continue to take notes. I have taken notes on some great war stories, some tall tali llshing stories, not to mention some fantastic recount - of rade C horror movies. This is not to say all professors deviate in this manner, also it is not my intention to imply that I believe this to be inappropriate behavior. In fact. I enjoy a good antidote. The reason 1 make this point is to emphasize the accuracy of the following incident which took place right here on our very own campus The date January 11. 1979 (second day of class). Time: approximately 2:20 p.m. "Second row—third from the end—pick up your books and get out." That statement by Dr. John Baker, associate professor of mathematics, to the Math 103 section 08 class was the first in a series of, what 1 consider to be, outbursts of contempt towards the afore mentioned class. These outbursts coupled by what I view as an ineffective presentation of the subject material, lead to my eventual withdrawal from the course. The circumstance surrounding the afore mentioned incident is as follows: 1) Dr. Baker worked a problem incorrectly by his own admission, five consecutive times in a row. 2) The students (10 or slightly more) began to talk amongst themselves. 3) Dr. Baker gave one warning in general to the class, "When I talk—you don't." 4) Students continued to talk. Dr. Baker singled out one student as 1 previously mentioned. 1 feel and I am sure the student did too, that his behavior did not warrant the humiliation of being sent out of the room. The student was only one of 10 or slightly more Students engaging in conversation. The volume level of his speech was not above that of a whisper, as was that of the oilier students. 5) Later in this same class period (January 11) a similar incident occurred. This time Dr. Baker did not send the student out of the room. A stern warning was issued instead. This action, In my definition, is discrimination. Greatly concerned bv this mass-miscarriage of justice, 1 consulted my notes and presented a report to the rriathematic's department head, Dr. Charles Martin. I presented my report the following day, January 12. The following Tuesday, January 16 (this was the next class period) the above mentioned student had been reinstated. I do not know if my talk with Department Head Martin had any influence or even if he spoke to Dr. Baker. At any rate, 1 did not inquire further into the matter because I was satisfied with the fact that my peer had been allowed to attend the class that he had paid his tuition for. As the semester progressed Dr. Baker continued to conduct the class, in what I consider to be a condescending manner. I do not believe this is healthy for a good learning experience. 1'erhaps Dr. Baker is "over-qualified" to teach an elementary statistics course. This might explain the following example he gave, as an introduction to probability. Provided that a coin is of proper weight distribution and is being tossed fairly; if the coin came up heads 16 times and came up tails only eight times, would you bet heavily that the next toss would come up In ads? Dr. Baker stated that he would. I made it back from Las Vegas last summer—I hope Dr. Baker never makes it out west. At this point, my doubts about the value of the course were vast and frequent. Who grades the teacher? The final incident which led to my subsequent decision to drop the course occurred on February 15. Having missed class due to a bout with the flu, I spoke with Dr. Baker via the telephone. The call took place at 1:35 p.m. only 25 minutes before our class was to take place. When I inquired as to the upcoming assignment, Dr. Baker informed me that he had not •Turn to Page 15, Please Softball hopeful outraged Dear Editor, Trying out for a WCU women's team is reall) something. I'm primarily talking about softball. I had never seen anything like I was about lo see while trying out for the softball team at WCU. I don't know why the coach holds tryouts, when she already knows who is or isn't going to make the team. For three weeks we practiced inside doing warm-ups. Then for about a week, we went outside to play. It seems that the softball coach has people she likes a whole lot. and she has some people she dislikes. People that really want to make the team up here, have to "brown-nose" the coach. Ibis exercise is very noticeable, so noticeable that it made me sick. These "brown-noses" did as they pleased at practice. While we were inside, if they didn't feel like coming to practice, they wouldn't. While everyone else was busting their ass. trying their hardest to make the team on their athletic abilities, the brown-noses were doing nothing. Showing their ability to get on the coach's likeable side. If the softball coach decided not to talk to vou while you were trying out for the team, it was the end of any chances you might have had of making the team. The brown-noses hover around the coach-like bees swarming around honey as thev try their hardest to get on the coach's "good" side. Well. I would never resort to such tactics in order to get on a team—that is why I quit trying out for the team! I have heard that the softball coach will tell other players who will and will not make the team—isn't that something. She talks to players about other players on the team. Also, she tells some people not to worry because they've already made the team. If a player's parents are at a game, she will let them play before the first string player. I have tried out for many teams before, but trying out for a team at WCU stinks. The only way a person can make a team up here, is to brown-nose the coach—she takes people that she likes over those who have the most talent. So, why do they have teams up here? I really don't know. The athletic system up here is the pits! An example of how bad the system really is, is as follows: the softball coach said that a person had to pass at least 12 semester hours in order to play a sport. She said, and I quote. "If your report card says, 'No extracurricular activites." on it, you can't play softball." Well, a girl flunked out of school last semester, and the coach got her back in school. Also, the same girl who didn't pass 12 hours and whose report card said the above is on the softball team. Maybe I should write whoever heads Division I athletics and tell them of this situtation. In th«> meantime, though, I'd like to tell all of those who tried out for the softball with talent, instead of brown-nosing ability, not to worry about not making the team, you're probably better than half of the WCU softball team. And for those brown-noses who are trying out for the volleyball team next year—you'll have to work hard next year, because the coach (same as softball) won't be around for you to brown-nose. Unless, that is. the athletic department chooses a coach that knew the previous coach. In that case, I wish WCU's athletic department plenty of luck. If anyone asks me if they should come to Western to try out for a WCU's girl's sports team. I'll tell them not to come unless they plan to be a brown-nose, because no matter how much talent you have, the coaches here won't pick you unless you get on their "good" side—by brown-nosing them. Definition of a brown-nose: someone who hangs around the coach, talking to her all the time, trying to get on her "good" side, so that they can do as they please—so that they can make a WCU women's sports team. Concerned Athletes More letters on P. 15 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF David Jackson BUSINESS MANAGER David Curtis MANAGING EDITOR Mark Wilkins NEWS EDITOR AlLagano DESIGN EDITOR Eddie Yandle SPORTS EDITOR Steve Surles STAFF WRITERS Cathy Bailey Lane Gardner Eli Walker Laura West Rick Whitman Kathy Malone PHOTO EDITOR Lewis Greene PHOTOGRAPHERS Jeanette Beaudry E.S. McDaniel TheWeste, n Carolinian THE STUDENT! The Western Carolinian is published every Tl-ufsdav thr-.uqhout the academic year and summer sessions feM the stu^i»nK of Western Carolina University. All letters must be signed although names will be withheld by requt?*.', all classifieds are printed free on a first come-first servi-J basis, and all opinions in columns, letters and signed editorials are not necessarily khose of the editor Offices: Joyner 10 Telephony: (704) 2*37267 rhe Western Carolinian is an Equal Opportunity .Affirmative' Action employer CLASSIFIED ADS Joyce Cooper ADCOMP/DESIGN Margo Crawford AD SALESMAN Leon Britt STAFF ARTIST Jenny Hall PRODUCTION Karen Bailey Bethany Baldwin Jenny Hall FACULTY ADVISOR Gerry Schwartz CIRCULATION MANAGER Keith Tidwell ACCOUNTANT RobGathings SECRETARY Kim Youmans MAINTENANCE ENGINEER Tim Thompson

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1979-03-08
  • Date digitized: 2018-09-10
• Extent
  • Dimension: 15" x 11.5"
  • Pages: 16 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1979-03-08_Vol44_No24
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library