I’ll tell you, I spent the past four years imagining all the things I’d say in my final column. (Pretty predictable for an editor in chief, neh? Some of my greatest fantasies involve seeing my byline on the printed page). Whenever I was particularly pissed off about something, I’d mentally prepare scathing condemnations of the University and its residents. And whenever I was actually happy about something, I’d mentally spin the predictable “I thought the University sucked, but it turned out to be pretty cool” yarn.
When it comes down to it, though, this is a tough column to pin down. I’ve already written a number of scathing condemnations, and I don’t think the cheesy “OMG-Wash.-U.-rocked-I’m-going-to-miss-it-you-should-appreciate-it” column is really my style. One topic I’ve consistently hoped to write about, though, is what the University could stand to do better.
This became a theme in my op-ed columns over the past few years, as I found a number of the University’s flaws difficult to ignore. I’ve continually noticed easy things the University could do to improve its service to students and the community. I know that’s not standard Commencement Issue fare – after all, I’m certainly very happy to be graduating, and I don’t want to puncture anyone else’s happiness. But in the midst of our happiness, I think it’s appropriate to remind ourselves of the progress that needs to take place before we can truly celebrate Washington University’s place in the higher education community.
So this is my parting salvo, if you will – my last shot at letting the University know that students are paying attention to what goes on around here, and that we won’t stand for mediocre management. As alumni, my graduating classmates and I can and will continue to make ourselves heard – our donations (or lack thereof) will help determine the University’s standing. The following are four major problems facing the University right now, which I sincerely hope the administration will address in coming years.
One: Rampant wastefulness. So much of the waste on campus results from simple carelessness and cutting corners. Students regularly throw trash into ambiguously labeled recycling bins, contaminating what’s already there and thwarting well-intentioned recycling efforts. Bon App‚tit contributes to this problem by using plastic lids that can’t be recycled. Similarly, the University regularly throws away its old furniture, rather than donating it to people who can use it. This is a boon for savvy neighbors, who often manage to snag some of the better pieces – but there really needs to be more oversight here. Our tuition dollars are buying thousand-dollar couches that are ultimately given away for free. Students and administrators alike need to curb their wasteful habits.
Two: Dangerous and inaccessible architecture. When it rains, all those smooth terra-cotta stairs on the South 40 become slippery pitfalls. Ditto for the stone path past the music department, which really should have been re-cemented four years ago. And a little bird told me earlier this year that the ramps down to the new Habif Health & Wellness Center don’t actually meet federal accessibility guidelines – apparently they’re not wide enough. Similar problems exist elsewhere on campus. Can we get some accountability here?
Three: An utter lack of transparency. Student Life will continue to serve as a campus watchdog – that’s not going to change. But it’s a shame that we have to bang down administrators’ doors when we hear of alleged misdeeds – administrators and Student Union executives alike need to work on being straight with students. Dean McLeod, for example, is a great diplomat – but he often has trouble giving students an unequivocal, honest opinion. This “deanspeak” needs to go. Similarly, it’s about time that WUPD, whose officers are deputized by local authorities, opened up all of its records, not just the tidbits found in Police Beat, to the community. Ever heard of the Sunshine Law? It’s an important piece of legislation that keeps the authorities from abusing their power. But our authorities on campus keep a lot of things under wraps in the name of protecting students. In a conversation about alleged alcohol abuse, Judicial Administrator Tamara King once told me, “What happens on the freshman floor stays on the freshman floor.” You know what I think? It’s time for that attitude to go.
Four: A failed instrumental music program. I know the department touches the lives of relatively few students – but instrumental music is something that any world-class university would do well to encourage. Unfortunately, the department doesn’t just suffer from a lack of space; it suffers from inept management. The problems range from administrative snafus to major failures in direction. The symphony orchestra the department likes to boast about, for instance, is largely composed of professional “ringers” from the faculty and surrounding community. It can hardly be called a student organization. And pit orchestras in the Performing Arts Department are often staffed with paid professionals, with only a few spots left for students. Many Washington University students are talented musicians, but unfortunately, the department pushes out many interested students with these discriminatory practices. This is disgraceful – it’s time we had an All Student Orchestra to complement our All Student Theatre.
Those are some things to work on. Again, I don’t want to go out on a negative note – it’s not as though this is all I’m taking away from my University experience. But I didn’t think you really needed another fluffy, self-congratulatory Commencement Issue column, anyway.