Environmental Issues with college?

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Friday, May 9. 2014

Environmental Issues with college?

My son has decided which college to attend in August. Yesterday I received a survey from one of the colleges he turned down. It was a series of questions about his decision, who influenced the decision, and which factors guided him.

It ended with two questions which surprised me. The first was to what degree allowing freshmen to have a car on campus would have altered his decision. I responded "Definitely would have no impact." I see no reason for a car on campus and certainly not freshman year.

The second question was "To what degree did the university's commitment to environmental issues play a role?" I replied "None at all."

Seriously? I know a few wingnuts take this seriously, but frankly I can't understand this devotion to 'environmental issues' I keep seeing at the colleges I visited. It truly is a religion and it's astounding when you consider the improved state of our environment today as opposed to, say, 60 years ago.

I suppose in another 18 years we'll only send kids to schools powered by sun, wind and geothermal energy. The glass, paper and plastic will all be in separated trashcans, every five feet, which are emptied every 20 minutes. Or maybe we're there already.

I know when I want to learn, it must be in the most eco-friendly environment possible and I don't care about the academics, it's all about saving the earth.

Posted by Bulldog in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects, Our Essays at 09:10 | Comments (32) | Trackback (1)

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In what way was the college "devoted" to "environmental" issues. I can think of lots of ways that a college's devotion to environmental issues would be a reason not to choose it. Unfortunately, most colleges probably would be similarly devoted so there might be few choices.

#1 mudbug on 2014-05-09 09:55 (Reply)

Agreed. Colleges and Universities waste an ungodly amount of money trying to be eco-friendly ... horrendous grandstanding from the PR office. And we wonder if all that tuition money is being spent wisely in this age of crushing student loan debt.

One also has to question the intelligence of school officials that sanction that ... and therefore question whether they are fit stewards of our kids with respect to teaching them anything useful.

#1.1 ruralcounsel on 2014-05-09 12:18 (Reply)

To many people are slaves to the word "environmentalism" and look no deeper. What most of it is really is political correctness and often is detrimental to the environment but if the words are all correct and the right people support it then it is a good thing. The environmental movement was always mostly political and today it is 99% political. They use it like a club to beat us into submission to their political goals. It is an endless source of funding from the government coffers for pseudo-environmental slush funds that always find their way into political races and supporters pockets. It makes the Mafia like honest.

#2 GoneWithTheWind on 2014-05-09 10:24 (Reply)

We come now again to the subject of quality of education in our universities. Of course, before we can make that judgment we must first agree upon a system of ethics. That agreement has been absent since the late 1970's when the baby boomers took over teaching in academia.

I direct you now to UNC and this poor woman:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2591342/How-did-146-word-essay-Rosa-Parks-A-UNC-football-playerss-shocking-term-paper-released-whistleblower-alleges-widespread-academic-fraud.html

My prayer is that she will not be subjected to the same cruelty and retaliation that we have been subject to. There is hope for her because she first went to the media, where I did not. I first turned to the legal system and proper government channels. My mistake as there was no one of courage within those two communities willing to confront academic fraud. Oh well . . .
"what difference does it make?"

#3 faculty wife on 2014-05-09 10:45 (Reply)

The PC problems started when "conservation" changed to "ecology."

#4 dcjuggler on 2014-05-09 11:02 (Reply)

The irony is, they asked about freshman having cars on campus...um, aren't cars incredibly environmentally un-friendly? Maybe they should consider banning cars for all students and then they can address their environmental fears at the same time! LOL.

#5 MissT on 2014-05-09 11:25 (Reply)

My university didn't express an opinion on my decision whether to have a car when I was a freshman. It was up to me to decide whether I could afford one, whether I needed one, and whether it was worth the trouble of finding a parking spot. Ditto for graduate school and law school.

I wasn't thinking about cars or the ecology when I decided where to go to school. I was thinking about the curriculum, the school's reputation for academic excellence, and the tuition.

#6 Texan99 on 2014-05-09 11:36 (Reply)

Cars on campus influenced my school decision. I'd been accepted to the flagship state campus and attended the summer orientation. Only to discover while I was there my battery had been stolen. Hardly a nice environment to live. In any case, I decided to go the the local state university due to cost (had to have a job) and the fact that I was being set up for a bad experience at the flagship school. I was majoring in engineering and it was a big time football school. I was assigned to the stadium dorms. Now, sight unseen, logic dictates that one studying on fall weekends would be difficult. And if anyone besides athletes were being stuck in athletic facility dorms, those dorms were in a sorry state, otherwise they'd be football team housing.

First thing you learn, universities aren't about learning, they're about cult and athletics not academics breed loyalty to the cult.

#7 JKB on 2014-05-09 12:00 (Reply)

Funny you should mention this.

Most kids want to go to a school they can be 'proud' of and wear the colors. Harvard/Princeton for obviously different reasons than Michigan/Florida State. Stanford and Duke represent outliers - a mix of both good academics and athletics.

Point is, my first son is at Miami Ohio. Proud to wear his colors, though the school has a recent history of lousy sports. The school has a strong academic history, though. But the colors are worn because of sports, not the number of CEOs the school has produced (which is quite high).

The president seeks to continue to market the school and wants the colors displayed prominently. As such, he is seeking to upgrade academics? NO. Sports programs.

SUNY Binghamton had a problem trying to do the same thing. A relatively unknown SUNY school (great history program), the president hired people to boost the athletics. The results were costly and underwhelming. His goal was to get kids to be 'proud' of wearing SUNY Binghamton gear. It failed miserably. The cult aspect died.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binghamton_University_basketball_scandal

I'm Syracuse grad. I'm proud of, and follow, the sports program. But I went there for the Maxwell and Newhouse Schools which have outstanding reputations.

My second son will be attending SU in the fall. People tell me how proud I must be. I'm not. I'm happy he's going wherever he thinks he'll get the education he's looking for. SU still has a strong Liberal Arts Core. I wear the colors for the sports, but the education is what got me where I am.

I have several horror stories relating to sports while I was there. Horror as in athletes out of control and unmanaged. It is true today, was true back then.

#7.1 Bulldog on 2014-05-09 12:19 (Reply)

Interesting. My 2nd child, male, is also entering college in the fall. I always assume Maggie Farmers are way past my stage in life.

Clarkson University. I was surprised by the choice. Visited campus - seemed academically focused. But what I remember most it took 4 hours of driving south before we reached Syracuse. Man...it's UP there.

#7.1.1 Harley Cudney on 2014-05-09 21:18 (Reply)

Yup - it is. We used to road trip to Brockville for Brador. Not too far from Potsdam.

#7.1.1.1 Bulldog on 2014-05-09 21:35 (Reply)

"emptied every 20 minutes"?
think again. After careful deliberation it will have been decided that every trashcan is big enough to not need emptying more than once a month based on the projected production per person on campus and the available number of trashcans, therefore they'll be emptied only once a month, irrespective of actual demand.

That's what's happening here with domestic garbage. City has calculated that by 2015 people will produce only 2 pounds a week per household, therefore collection can be reduced to once a month.
That this will lead to highly unsanitary conditions, maggots breeding in garbage cans in summer, rats eating the stuff all year long, never entered the minds of the enviroweenies in control.
Or if it did they don't mind.

#8 J.T. Wenting on 2014-05-09 12:36 (Reply)

Rats and maggots are 'natural'. Landfills are not.

It entered their mind. They don't care.

#8.1 Bulldog on 2014-05-09 12:37 (Reply)

I should point out I said every 20 minutes because these same enviroweenies are also leftists seeking to 'create jobs'. It's likely they will hire someone(s) to empty cans often because it's regular work.

This person(s) will be unionized and earn $30/hour. The trash they drop, or that falls out along the way, will be left behind because "it's not in the contract".

#8.2 Bulldog on 2014-05-09 12:40 (Reply)

Why would any freshman not want a car? No road trips? No late night beer/pizza runs? Don't chicks still dig big block V8s???

USC alum. With one exception, a total waste of time except law schools inevitably demanded an AB or BS degree from somewhere.

The exception was sports. Trojan football produced national champions and a long legacy of running backs and there were epic games against the fighting amish and our cross-town rivals. I had the honor of being part of one of the academic/football scandals.

There was no environmentalism, no political correctness, no speech codes, "micro-harassment" was known then as a prank. There were classes, tests too, I'm sure. I understand they don't allow shotguns in the dorms now.

#9 Frigate on 2014-05-09 12:56 (Reply)

In my school, University of Florida, in the 70's, I was amazed to see that the lab science requirement could be met by taking "The Meats We Eat."

Sounds like it was meant for football players and other jocks. Of course, the cheerleaders tended to take "Vegetables of the World."

#10 Whitehall on 2014-05-09 13:21 (Reply)

My undergrad experience , which included attending three different institutions over 9 years, led me to the conclusion that the amount of work a student puts into his education is of much greater importance than the institution he attends.

Were I a prospective college freshman today, I would avoid places that have PC indoctrination. Unfortunately, today that would exclude nearly all schools. Which would change my goal- minimal PC indoctrination.

#11 Gringo on 2014-05-09 13:40 (Reply)

the amount of work a student puts into his education is of much greater importance than the institution he attends.

100% agree.

I tell my boys this every time they take potshots at community colleges or schools they classify as 'lousy'.

I point out to them Larry Ellison didn't even go to college, so what does that say about their supposedly 'good' school?

There are 3 things which are fairly common on the usual campus tour these days:
1. A discussion of the girl who wants to 'be involved and give back'
2. A discussion about how the school has upgraded its food.
3. A visit to the rock climbing wall.

Yup, almost every college has a rock climbing wall.

Each of these is a normal part of every campus visit I had.

#11.1 Bulldog on 2014-05-09 13:46 (Reply)

Just a quick question...

... why did you answer the survey instead of your son, who actually made the choice of which college to attend?

#11.1.1 Frigate on 2014-05-09 13:59 (Reply)

The survey was sent to parents to gauge their involvement in the child's decision. I pretty much left him to his own devices, and that's how I filled out the survey. I said I played probably a 10% role in the decision.

Which is why the final two questions were so odd. I never thought, as someone here noted, the first question was mildly at odds with the second. But more importantly, neither of those things were even remotely important to me, as a parent.

#11.1.1.1 Bulldog on 2014-05-09 14:17 (Reply)

Ok, thanks.

#11.1.1.1.1 Frigate on 2014-05-09 14:31 (Reply)

Yup, almost every college has a rock climbing wall.

Which is a good example of why college tuition is out of control. The federal loans goodies provide colleges with the money to add frills- rock climbing walls and Administrators up the wazoo- and no incentive to cut spending.

I point out to them Larry Ellison didn't even go to college, so what does that say about their supposedly 'good' school?
Re the push to get into the "good school." Instead of trying to get into the "good school," students would better serve their futures by looking at their high school experience and deciding what they liked and didn't like doing during HS- in or out of class- and what they concluded were their strengths and weaknesses.

For example, I concluded that I liked Math and was good at it, and that I HATED writing papers. Which eventually pushed me to a STEM career. But even STEM people need to know how to write clearly and concisely.

#11.1.2 Gringo on 2014-05-09 16:03 (Reply)

I started in Physics, got bored of it quickly. I'm still interested in it, but not like I was back when I first decided to go to college.

I knew my writing was horrible and wanted to improve, so I took writing courses. It helped, I think. Though I'm still just so-so.

People bash the Communications degree (I didn't get one), but I happen to think it's a fine degree based on my friends who got them. As one pointed out, when I asked him what he'd do with it, "Anything I want, the point is I'll be able to do well in an interview and I've learned how to prepare."

He was right. He's doing well. It was a useful degree. For him.

#11.1.2.1 Bulldog on 2014-05-09 16:22 (Reply)

I had a girlfriend in college who majored in Communications.

When she graduated she got a job at a ski resort in Colorado doing press releases and advertising.

Most of the guys in my major went to Dothan, Alabama or Pittsburgh, PA or the like.

Point is that there can be non-financial returns to some degrees.

Of course, an alternate hypothesis MIGHT be that you're rewarded if you're a cute 21 y/o party girl with big tits.

#11.1.2.1.1 Whitehall on 2014-05-09 20:36 (Reply)

I'm old. Way back in the dark ages when I was in college, I took rock climbing as one of my "recreation" requirements. We had to climb actual rocks. Fortunately, the school was near mountains.

The rowing class I took required us to actually get in the river. An improving but still nasty proposition back then.

#11.1.3 JKB on 2014-05-10 00:14 (Reply)

I know some you folks think I am a little bit off. I have only given you a few examples of things that have been done to us. Now, I will give you something to have a good laugh about:

Male teacher from mid eastern country (not Muslim) teaching a Master's level Management course. This is a night school class in an ultra liberal school. Time comes for students to make final presentations. Three older gals come into the room in a squad. The one in middle (about age 50) wears a long rain coat and keeps it on until it's her turn to present her final paper. Standing in front of the class with her coat still wrapped tight around her, she asked that "In honor of the professor", the other members of the class should come up to the front and sit on the floor in a circle and "pretend we are in the "mid east desert sitting around the campfire" She then proceeds to take off her coat which is covering some filmy see through fabric. She starts dancing "around the campfire" and strips down to the bare nothing! When the professor asked the academic dean how to handle the situation the dean said, "put a note in her file and pass her on through--we need the money!" You wanna know why I tried to help clean up that mess?

#12 faculty wife on 2014-05-09 13:54 (Reply)

That is absolutely hilarious.

#12.1 Bulldog on 2014-05-09 14:19 (Reply)

I would have answered the 2nd question oppositely.

"Of course it played a role. In fact, I truly cannot conceive of attending a school whose first educational priority is not education. After parking and environmentalism, education ranks third, at best, although that can only be assumed; not proven from the information given."

#13 Tom Armstrong on 2014-05-09 15:24 (Reply)

Unfortunately, there were 5 buttons ranging from "Very Important" to "Not at all important".

As you'd expect, there was no comment box. Why bother letting someone voice an opinion?

#13.1 Bulldog on 2014-05-09 15:30 (Reply)

That was my first response also: Salome and the dance of the 7 veils as an example of systems management ! wahooo!

#14 faculty wife on 2014-05-09 16:13 (Reply)

I received a similar survey from one of the schools that my daughter passed on and filled it out today. I had the same questions about car and devotion to environmental issues -- and had the same WTF? reaction.

The real reason wasn't even an option: the fact that tuition was higher than where she finally chose and her major would take 5 years there as opposed to 4 everywhere else.

It's almost as if they really don't want to know why she chose to go elsewhere.

As to why you might want a car for a Freshman, my reason is fairly simple. I'm hoping she continues to attend church while at college and, as it isn't exactly on campus, a car is a useful tool. We'll see how that works out.

#15 Hamlet's Fool on 2014-05-09 23:07 (Reply)

Usefulness a car depends on the campus and parking situation. Some urban campuses are woefully short on parking ... a car there is nothing but an extra unnecessary headache when you are acclimating to a new life. It's likely to sit around a lot (dead battery), be forgotten about when the November snowstorm hits (towed because they needed to plow the snow). Not a good choice for a freshman. Maybe not any year.

#15.1 ruralcounsel on 2014-05-10 00:36 (Reply)

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Friday, May 9. 2014

Environmental Issues with college?