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Letters to the Editor

Rational thought not based on attendance of a lecture
The commentary entitled “Rational thought still popular on campus” by Will Brown (April 15) may be the most poorly written and unprofessional article I have read in the Skiff.

The title intrigued me. “Rational thought still popular on campus” — it sounded like the title of an article in The Sniff not the Skiff. But instead of parody, I read an article that rambles and curves so much in the first paragraph that I was forced to reread it in order to make sense of it.

Yes, of course, hardly anyone attended the lecture by UT journalism professor Robert Jensen. Unless a professor gives bonus points or homework on a lecture being hosted by the university, when has one been full?

But according to Brown, the fact that the lecture was empty shows that TCU students do not agree with Jensen and we are all “rational thinkers.” I’m not sure about you, but to me this correlation seems a little forced.

I did not attend the lecture by Jensen. And I suppose, according to Brown, I am irrational because I question the war effort. But the fact that people question the government and its policies proves just how great our country really is.

Brown would argue that we as a student body support the policies of President Bush. Now this may be “irrational” thinking, but I think the student body would agree that we are far too diverse to be lumped into a group based on such poor evidence as not attending a lecture.
— Alison Kothe, senior advertising and public relations major

University should rethink unexcused absence policy
In response to Jenny Specht’s April 15 commentary on Campus Life’s absence policy, I am grateful that this topic has finally been brought out from behind the iron curtain. This issue is often overlooked because, as Specht noted, professors are generally understanding and have a desire to work with students, thus making Campus Life’s involvement unnecessary. I wrote to offer an even more absurd example of how Campus Life is ignoring the academic welfare of students.

On Aug. 28, 2002, the first day of classes last fall, I found myself at a remote location in Afghanistan, adjusting the night vision goggles on my forehead and straining to hear the chatter coming over my radio. With missions day and night it never crossed my mind that I would have to fight another war at home, one just to receive credit. Upon returning two weeks later, I unsuspectingly entered the Campus Life office and was informed that even though I had orders from the federal government affirming my participation in Operation Enduring Freedom, the absences were not excused. Not excused! In fact, the only reason I needed an excused absence was because I had stumbled upon one of those few professors that wasn’t willing to work with me. Only after repeatedly begging was I finally granted a reprieve, not by Campus Life mind you, but by my relenting professor.

If having a “doctor’s note” that was essentially written by the president isn’t good enough, then no one is safe.

— J. Barr, sophomore political science major