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Letters to the editor
Dear Editor:
I am writing to follow up on a story that was printed back around May 2011, regarding the care of the horses housed at Pierce College, and the fact that one was in such poor health, that it had to be euthanized due to the lack of care it was getting by the keeper, who was subsequently suspended from his post for attempting to cover up the fact that the horse was in such poor condition.
I have noticed that the horses are back at the stables and I want to make sure that we don’t forget about what happened to them last year. I am hoping that someone at the College will continue to monitor the conditions that the horses are kept in to ensure that they are treated humanly and that this does not happen again. I would appreciate a follow up story highlighting what has changed in their treatment and care.
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2.0 GPA! I believe this is what is keeping the competent students (3.0 and above) to come forward and represent the ASO. Low entry requirements mean low standards.
A student who has “maintained” 2.0 GPA is barely capable managing his or her own schoolwork. If these students join the ASO, it is most likely for the reason that they need to add it to their application, and not for the reason of the betterment of the campus or the student body. In your editorial you mention, “Having a genuine interest in becoming a student leader wouldn’t hurt either.” This statement sounds like the college is literally “begging” students to come forth, in which case we have a fundamental problem. Where are the students from the list of students who make it to the Dean’s list every semester? Is it the ASO’s reputation?
If we are interested in bringing forth change, then it must start with the standards being revised; dedication, competence, and scholarly achievements must be given importance. The “drivers of the vehicle provided by the ASO” must be above the rest of the student population in terms of their achievements and certainly not below.
Every semester I have witnessed students standing at every nook and corner of the campus asking for endorsement to become a senator. When asked their goal for the student body, most do not even know what ASO stands for; leave alone their role as a senator.
Sylvia D'Souza
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Pierce and Smokers,
If you are a smoker, Pierce is not an easy place for you. Most of the old “smoking areas” are gone and you are relegated to smoking in the parking lots. Even these sanctuaries are under attach and may be gone in a year or so.
Let me say that I am sympathetic to your addiction. It is difficulty dealing with the added stress of school and using tobacco seems to help. Your cravings can cloud your good judgment and your natural friendliness. They can even make you down right mean. To help, when Pierce put in the Non-Smoking Campus rule it also offered free Stop Smoking help at the student health center.
The subject came up again last week at the Faculty Senate, with one of the faculty pointing up the difficulties of trying to police the smokers. Lots of other faculty joined in with their stories and pointing out that one of their own faculty members was one of the big offenders. It was also noted that a new law AB-795 was passed that allowed Community Colleges to set and enforce penalties for smokers. The result will be to put some teeth into the law.
