Well, this is it. After three and a half years of ink, sweat and tears, this column marks my last article as a member of The Horizon newspaper staff.
My reign of terror is sadly at an end.
I’ve run this newspaper for two years now, designed 125 pages and written a few dozen stories. The Horizon has changed my life for the better, but I don’t want this final article just to focus on me.
Instead, I want to take this chance to make a few final points.
Before I go on, I should say I won’t call out or thank certain people in this article. I’ll keep it simple: Thank you to all of my friends and professors who have made my college experience worthwhile. You know who you are.
The SGA
I’ll start with the Student Government Association. God love ’em, because no one else does.
I’ve been vocal about how the SGA does next-to-nothing for the students. Even after a few dedicated students’ efforts, I still don’t have faith in the efficiency or usefulness of the organization.
In my time at IU Southeast, I have hardly ever seen them serve their sole purpose of representing the student body at all.
Believe it or not, I genuinely like a few of the SGA senators. It’s not the people I have a problem with. Rather, it’s how they spend their money.
They were allotted $12,897 from the Student Activity Fee fund this past year, and I see little good that’s come of it.
One bill was written so they could spend $900 on water bottles with the SGA logo on them to be handed out to students graduating at commencement.
That’s nice, but it’s also a complete waste of money.
When I walk at commencement in just a few weeks, I’m keeping my SGA water bottle as a reminder of how little they accomplish, even if the members do have good intentions.
It seems their only achievements are self-serving bylaw amendments, and I think the organization has served as a glorified social club.
Then again, maybe the SGA is doing a good job of practicing real government.
Wasteful spending
Maybe the SGA could address the gross misuse of funds for senseless purchases like the $15,000 Surface Table PC — a touch-based computer in the University Grounds Coffee Shop that students play checkers on.
I mean, for heaven’s sake, that’s almost as unnecessary as the $3,000 wooden grenadier carving they made. I can’t help but think of that eyesore as an ample waste of campus beautification funds.
There is also an unnecessary amount of money and effort that is put into leadership groups on this campus. I realize fostering leadership is valuable to the university, but I see a more important need that deserves greater attention.
I want to see IU Southeast invest more money into retention programs. The official six-year federal graduation rate at IU Southeast is 30 percent. That says a lot about our school.
Let’s give the students a better reason to stay rather than a cracked, wooded statue or a touch-based computer. Expand the dorms. Have more fun events people want to come to.
Events like the “Study of the Propagation of a Transverse Wave through a Polymer Melt” aren’t doing much for the student body. I’m not criticizing that event since I’m sure it’s informative and well-researched, but I am criticizing the fact it was one of just a few events last week.
The students who don’t stay at IU Southeast need a reason to stay here beyond academic lectures.
Events like the International Festival, Rock Fight or Campus Boogie are fun events that have the potential to bring students in. Before we can promote leadership, let’s give students a reason to become involved in the first place.
Final thoughts
Maybe it’s time to get off my soapbox.
For modern college students, the blinking cursor on a blank Word document is an encouraging symbol — one that says, “Well, at least there’s something on this page.”
Just for today, however, as I lose this staring contest to my computer screen, I loathe that miniature digital monstrosity.
It’s taunting me to say more and just keep
typing.
It’s bittersweet to finish three and a half years of work on The Horizon, but I realize I have nothing else to add. It’s time to let go.
I’m proud of how far The Horizon has come in such a short time, but it would be foolish and unfair to try to take credit.
The teams of writers and editors I’ve worked with have made the work exciting and entertaining, and the readers have made it all worthwhile. We create a newspaper every week for everyone on campus. I’m relieved The Horizon is in good, talented hands as my college career comes to an end. All in all, it’s been an honor and a privilege. I will miss this newspaper, and I will certainly miss this school.
I’ve never been good at goodbyes, so, that’ll do, pig. That’ll do.
—30—
By JOSEPH DEVER
Senior Newspaper Editor
jwdever@umail.iu.edu
