No, no, no, no. Bear with me. I wouldn’t dream of dumping a boring article on you. But, I’m sitting here. Mind meandering. And I thought I’d share. Here’s the thing. We’re at a university which has this hodge-podge of ‘nudge’ social concern. Mixed up somewhat counterintuitively with an overarching concern for capitalism and the free market, cf. College of Business, CISC, Lyceum, et al. And yet, in terms of the service we provide students, we really don’t seem to get the mix right.
On the one hand, we’re sort of a college where command rules. This is the syllabus, these are the rules, here’s your health service, that’s where you park, turn up, do it, or get out. But. At the same time, we’re sort of not so command. We have our Academic Success Center and the Student Accessibility Services (with which I am registered, since I am disabled). We have Title IX. We do CU 1000. We get to evaluate our instructors at the end of every semester. It almost feels like our opinion, our input matters.
And yet, that’s the point. Or my point. Is it just glitter? Is the whole feedback, accommodation, student involvement palaver just show?
For example, as wonderful as are the folks at SAS, policy leaves them little room for maneuver. I’m being asked to give five days’ notice of a massive panic attack. While nicely-dressed lads sitting next to me get to hand in homework late ‘cos they’re off to Orlando for a weekend’s golf.
For example, we have this supposedly wonderful full-service medical facility on campus (‘cos there ain’t much many students can get to off campus). And yet, I am constantly hearing how the substantial student medical fee buys a service that is, at best, um, half-full.
Maybe it’s time to go in the other direction, and make Clemson a truly market-economy college? Look. There is an equation which underpins all of what makes Clemson, well, Clemson. We just don’t mention it all that often. And it’s all about money.
The majority of students don’t come to college to get educated. They come here to get the means to make money. Clemson isn’t in the business of educating. It’s in the business of – business.
Every student is a paycheck to Clemson. Whether it’s private or a state-subsidized check. Clemson doesn’t attract students (or rather, parents) with a motto like “Gee, none of our kids go to Wall Street, but hey, they read Shakespeare.” They grab attention when we have a football team that’s won two out of the last three National Collegiate Football Championships. When those same parents drive around the avenues of Clemson campus, and see the signs proclaiming that our students rate the happiest, most fulfilled, most career-driven young people in the nation.
Clemson grabs attention. Signs ‘em up. Puts them in class. Gives them the obligatory ‘attendance is all’ nonsense. And then. Focuses all its attention on ensuring everyone gets the best grades possible. Why? Because good grades get good college rating. And good college rating gets more students. Which means more money. It’s as simple as that.
Well. That’s good isn’t it? Not if it means that you turn a bad eye to bad grades ‘cos junior has rich parents. Not if even the shoddiest paper gets a C, because heaven forbid we condemn Clemson to a rash of F’s. Not if CU1000 and Title IX and SAS and Redfern are just show, because, well, to be honest, we don’t exactly want to signal the fact that we have students who might be unhappy or depressed or anxious or disabled or old or underserved. ‘Cos underserved sounds sort of like undeserving which sort of equates to (heavy whisper) ‘low grades’ (eek: moneymoneymoney … echoechoecho … ).
I could go on. But, let’s skip to a possible solution,or at least the scenario of a solution. You can fill in the gaps by writing to us with your own thoughts. So,why not make student input real? We are an important part of the Clemson financial equation, oh, why not make us an important part of the design process also?
For example. We pay for Redfern. Let us design the service structure,and when it doesn’t perform, we have some input on firing someone.
When Clemson says it wants to support students, let students give input on designing the structure of college degrees. Would we really choose to be under the sort of pressure which results in rampant depression and suicide? I know,another subject Clemson tries to avoid.
If we are truly a college of diversity, then allow instructors and students to design the Accommodations which allow those with disability to achieve the same end result of able-bodied students, but in ways that genuinely recognize the restraints of disability. As in, no, I can’t give you a medical note saying I’m going to have a panic attack in five days’ time. I swear to the Big Tulip, I was told I would need to provide this.
And faculty? Seniority is an aspect of diversity, too. You don’t get to say, as I was told by one straight-faced senior faculty member: “This is a program for 18-22 year olds; you don’t fit the image we’re trying to project to get donations.” Hello.
Bottom line. If we’re a command college, stop with the pretense. Let me go play golf, and give me my summa cum laude now. But,if we’re a college genuinely dedicated to honor, excellence and diversity, then maybe it’s time to allow students a real opportunity to design their own environment. Maybe? As always. That’s it for now. Until next time. Cheerio!!
