Police Beat shouldn’t incorrectly attribute fraternities to reports

As the public relations chair of the Sigma Chi fraternity, obviously I am very concerned about the post in the Sept. 21 Police Beat titled “”Intoxicated Cyclist Tries to Sleep it Off.”” This article said one of our pledges was intoxicated and hurt. It has been proven that this was not, in fact, one of our pledges but one from another fraternity. The fraternity whose pledge it was does not concern us, nor do we want them pointed out. We would, however, appreciate if there was something you could do to counteract the article, saying the pledge in question was not with Sigma Chi. We understand it might be difficult, but knowing the fire Greek Life is under, we would appreciate all negative publicity that is false to be done away with.

Eric Chalk

A student’s advice for President Shelton

This week, the Wildcat has published front-page articles in which President Shelton complains about and cautions against rumors concerning the university transformation process. He doesn’t, however, take responsibility for creating an atmosphere in which rumors are easier to spread. If President Shelton wants to find someone to blame for the rumors, he need only look in a mirror.

President Shelton has tried to sell this UA Transformation process as a means of increasing efficiency and improving the university, but this is misleading. I am a student, and therefore, I view the university as a place that offers a service for which I pay. Shelton is the president, and he sees the university as a sort of factory that produces the service for which I pay, and of which he is the boss. Our definitions of efficiency and betterment of the university are bound to conflict.

I see efficiency as possibly training advisers to be proficient in several areas so I’m not required to visit three different advisors. An increase in efficiency will make certain that professors are required to place books on booklists by mid-summer so students aren’t left scrambling a week before class to order books that may be in short supply, eventually forced to pay the ridiculous UofA Bookstore prices. Efficiency will lead to a decrease in class size to promote more in-class interaction and involvement, etc.

In short, I want more for my dollar. President Shelton sees efficiency as a way to operate the university for less money, thereby encouraging larger class sizes, fewer faculty and advisors, etc.  Conflict is inevitable.

President Shelton is still a smart man. He should know better than to try to sell this transformation to the students by implying it is somehow benefitting the UA. This transformation process is merely a way to keep the university afloat in harsh economic times. I know that, and I’m sure many students know that, and I’m sure we know that everyone, including President Shelton, the faculty and students, need to make sacrifices. I realize that circumstances outside President Shelton’s control have forced us to pay substantially more for an education.

I would have more confidence in President Shelton if he were more open about this. If he would come out and say, “”Look folks, the only way to keep the university running is to raise tuition and increase class size. Sorry, I don’t like it anymore than you do, here’s my plan to remedy this,”” I would still be angry, but I would know that he was being up-front with us, and I would know what his plan of action would be, that he had one. I could stand behind that guy. 

Up until now, however, he has shrouded the transformation in relative secrecy, trying to sell it as something it is not. Transparency and honesty quell rumors, President Shelton, so stop pretending the transformation is for the betterment of our education. Start telling us how we all should pull together and sacrifice to keep the UA afloat.

Andy Seaton

international studies junior