If asked to describe my college, think disrespectful and inappropriate and you pretty much have an idea of my daily college experience. I started college in 2013, and things were so different. I really enjoyed walking through the door every day, there wasn't many people I didn't know, and when I would pass a stranger in the hall they would smile and say hello; it was a friendly and positive environment. I was proud to share where I went to school. We were a small art and music college, we also had a pretty snazzy PT program. My favorite part of the day was campus hour, going to the café filled with creative people spread out over a table working on a painting, playing guitar, singing and overall enjoying the free hour, it created a fun place to be.
Over the past three years, the college has changed so much that I no longer feel proud to be a student here. There has been a rapid decline in the respect students hold for the college itself, their professors and their peers. Personally, I believe blame goes to the students for the most part, but there might be a reason to point fingers at the administration also. Perhaps it is time to reexamine the admission process in order to find a higher caliber of students instead of just letting people in the door.
Currently, the school has adapted an open door policy to anyone who wants to learn. Which on paper seems like a great idea, but in practice it allows a different caliber of student to slip in through the cracks, bringing in people who don't care as much and who are a bit more disrespectful. Also, people's education then begins to vary more, you're in classes with people at different levels and it should be fairly even, instead of appreciating the education they are receiving, people tend to take it for granted. Now I'm not saying that everyone I go to school with is this way but it is a major chunk. There is consistent yelling down the halls, cussing, disrupting other’s education experience and blatant disrespect. It seems as though these students have not yet left high school mentality behind. By the time you get to college you should have learned how to respect and treat others at a higher level. You are an adult and you must be accountable for your actions in college. It's no longer anyone else's job to watch you, it's your own. This was rarely a problem when I started this school just a few years ago.
The disrespect is not only in the way people treat each other but it extends to the classroom. I constantly find myself sitting in a class where students continue to arrive late. I can understand that sometimes we aren't all perfect but it's consistent. It is the same students arriving late day after day. The same mentality is applied to work deadlines. A deadline is a deadline, yet things are constantly turned in late. I’ve had a class where only two of the students turned in the assignment by the deadline. How can this type of mentality be allowed in a college environment? Life after college is serious and this type of behavior is what gets individuals fired from jobs. However, at my college it seems that these type of students are allowed to be laid back because their passing students along, accepting the behavior that is happening.
The recent changes the college administration has made seem to aim directly at earning more money for the school versus focusing on the education experience of their current students. But the last time I checked education should be top priority of a college. People are more consumed with what kind of food we have in the café then what we're learning in the classroom. Last semester I went to a meeting where they opened the door to allow students to come express their thoughts about the college. The whole basis of the meeting was about food, and activity that could be hosted to connect the campus. When we talked about the concept of the way students have become more of a problem and the classroom issues, the subject quickly got changed. I left this meeting disappointed and after I have officially stopped thinking things were ever going to get better. While I defiantly appreciate the fact that they took the time out of their day to come sit with us, and the idea of this meeting was a step in the right direction. Although no action was taken on the concerns that were discussed. Listening to the issues is great but if no action is then taken there isn’t a purpose to keep trying.
There are many issues that need to be addressed, but there is one thing my college has going for them which is our professors. These professors are outstanding and make it worth coming to class if the thousands of dollars were paying aren’t enough. In my option, they are the only positive about the college. These professors care about their jobs and I am thankful to each of them for making an effort to pass on their passion.
I hope that these problems are resolved for future students. I also hope that their education can be a different, and more positive of an experience. These changes need to be made quickly before the college loses the respect of some of the current students and the community.
