Let #ME know what you alL think, gramMaticalLy that is...is it a clip that I could use to apPly for an internship?
Non-traditional Students
Are Not Being Treated the Same
What
or who is the average college student? I am a 25 year old, work a
40-hour week, get no help on the bills, and attend a three hour course
three times a week. Am I the average college student or would that be
the 18 year old, who takes 18 credits a semester and lives on campus?
What if the non-traditional student, wanted to join a club? What if that club was the PR Society at Rider University? Most
of the average college students can say that they are able to be
involved in the extra-curricular activities or programs offered by their
college or university. What happens when you have work, or go to class,
and/or have children to take care of during the day and these clubs are
only holding meetings during the day? These questions turn into one
question. How can the nontraditional student get involved?
Rider
University has created a school called, The College of Continuing
Studies (CCS). It was a great idea to offer courses at night for the
average working student, but most of the employees leave at 5pm and it’s
strictly geared towards academics.
“I don’t
know how I can offer you a solution to joining these programs, seeing as
I’m an academic Dean,” said Dean Boris Villic of CCS. With answers like
this in the beginning of a conversation from the Dean who would continue to even try joining any organization at Rider University.
Jess
Scanlon, Secretary of the PR Society offered up a temporary solution to
a nontraditional student trying to join their club. “I can give you an
opportunity to volunteer in a Saturday activity we have coming up.” That
can work. “I can also offer you the opportunity to create a flyer for
another event that we have coming up, which involves one of the other
organizations we have on campus.” That would have worked if this student
didn’t follow up that conversation with the President, Morgan Todd.
“No, don’t do that flyer because it’s already been done,” said Morgan.
Christina*
a Public Relations major, was wondering if the lack of communication
between the executive board members of the club, was because of the lack
of professor advisory from Dr. Aaron Moore, the Communications
department internship leader. Christina* added, “I tried to contact Dr.
Moore via telephone and numerous e-mails in regards to the PR Society.
The one e-mail I got back was directing me to Morgan. The one
time I got him on the phone, I asked, as the professor advisor, was he
heavily involved in the organization? His response was, “I don’t
understand what you’re asking,” and then he went on to say, “it’s
something that the students handle. They’re the one’s responsible for
what goes on within’ the club.”
Every Thursday
at 11:30am, is when the meetings for this particular club are held.
“Tuesdays and Thursdays at this time are what the school calls open
period and a lot of other clubs meet,” said the President of the PR
Society. “It does conflict with other members of other clubs as well.”
The decision to set this time schedule was from a vote of the executive
board, which consists of four members, three of which are graduating.
The students had no say. “Next semester I can recommend that the
President makes this a group decision, said Morgan.
With
an administrative staff like Dean Boris, Dr. Moore and an executive
board whose main focus is making it through their last semester,
how can a person come to a solution that can help non-traditional
students who are in desperate need of joining an organization? Will
there come a time where the staff as well as the students, traditional
and nontraditional comes up with a solution to this problem? Is the
student who busts their behinds to go to work full-time and attend three
hour classes going to see any fairness in the future? The simple answer
is, we don’t know. There have been many temporary fixtures, but nothing
permanent. So, Fall of 2012, we will see. Like Jess said, “There is
always one problem that has no solution, and that is pleasing everyone.”
