Acorn

Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Kelsi Bitgood

As the Fall 2007 semester comes to an end, The Acorn has decided to reflect on the past four months in the Forest.

The addition of a new major and two new minors and construction finally starting on the new dorm indicate the administration's willingness to change, and The Acorn would like to see innovative changes like this continuing to happen on campus-with student input, of course. This is especially true when it comes to the new University Center that is being planned. We have a lot of ideas, and we want to make sure the administration continues its positive trend of asking for our opinions and suggestions. We may not be here when it finally gets built, but we have a much better idea of what people our age will want than any architect.

While changes are encouraged, however, that does not mean we should become complacent with what already exists. Facilities problems abounded this semester, from the temperatures in the dorms to classrooms that are dingy at best. We still expect students with physical disabilities to use a service elevator to get to the Commons that is unreliable and also used to transport trash. On top of all of this, we can't manage to find a food service that can provide the vegetarian options and general variety we want with the well-trained employees we need.

Students, to their credit, are not taking campus problems sitting down. Student activism on campus has been outstanding this semester. There have been well-attended events like the African Emphasis Weekend's Human Trafficking Panel, sexual assault awareness programs like Project VIEW and an overwhelming demand for tolerance and respect on campus. Drewids require changes to the human rights policy to protect students, and have shown they will go to great lengths to ensure that they see these changes happen. Unfortunately, this activism seems to have stagnated in the Student Government Association, who barely managed to pass one bill this semester and finally arranged a Drew Discussion with Public Safety several months after problems had actually been identified.

Yet, even with the discussion, complaints about Public Safety's actions continue to surface with no signs of apology from the department, and no indication of genuine signs of concern for students' apprehensions. Perhaps it is not so outlandish for students to feel unsafe with public safety officers-including Chief Tom Evans-with so many reports, and so little evidence of any remorse or effort to change. Why should students believe these individual incidents are being addressed if they just keep happening?

Next spring has a great deal of promise. General education requirements are being reconsidered and the Human Rights Policy is being reworked. Students look forward to Newt Gingrich speaking in April. President Bob Weisbuch has finally found his ideal medium for campus-wide communication-WMNJ Drew Radio. The University Programming Board will continue on its positive upward trend of providing students with off-campus excursions they are excited to attend. New and notable professors are coming to teach at Drew. And, most importantly, there will be a month's worth of progress on the new dorm. Maybe we'll even have a name for it by then. Might The Acorn suggest Cucchi Hall?

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