Letters to the Editor
Campus Times
September 19, 1997
Dear Editor,
Sitting in my office in Luxembourg today and browsing through the WWW,
I find the last issue of the CT very interesting ["Scandal
sets ASF back," "ASF accounting
to change," Sept. 5, 1997]. Not only did I try to run for ASF president
during my time at ULV-but I actually did it. In fact there were a number
of votes cast for me, but the public was never told how many. On election
day, I was just simply told that the other guy won. So much for transparent
democracy.
I still argue today that the fitness for holding an office should never
be measured by nationality, race, sex or any other arbitrary rules. In fact,
as an Austrian, I would not mind an American to be president of Austria,
if I find the person fit and able to fulfill the job. That is why we do
have elections in order to check and test the persons running for office.
"Open the democratic process up to everyone" should not be a call
which can be self-righteously thrown at China or other tyrannical regimes.
Unfortunately, it is a request that still is called for in an educational
institution of the U.S. just 2 1/2 years before the new millennium.
As for the accounting procedures of ASF, I can only remind the school's
administration of the stories I wrote in the CT years ago. Many promises
were made by many officials-on the administrative and ASF side.
Funny: When many ask the educational institutions to move their curricula
closer to the needs of the real world, one would hope that the careless
handling of other people's money would not be the first real success story.
Nikolaus Formanek ('92)
via e-mail
Dear Editor,
It is disappointing to see that in the three years that I have been
a part of the Office of Housing and Residential Life, Campus Times has focused
on writing more negative articles about the department than positive articles.
The "Students banned from B-Bottom"
opinion piece [Sept. 12, 1997] is just another example of the aggression
from Campus Times toward the Office of Housing and Residential Life.
The number of students that enter B-Bottom to buy a candy bar or read
a book can be counted on my fingers. Circle K is located just footsteps
away from the Oaks complex and it is open 24 hours a day. Students have
been making trips there to get snacks at all hours of the day and night
since the complex opened. They find better selections at Circle K than at
the Oaks snack machines. Additionally, B-Bottom is open to access the vending
machines from 8 a.m.-11 p.m. on weekdays and 5:30 p.m. - 11 p.m. on weekends.
Students are welcome to use the machines at those times when B-Bottom is
staffed. Furthermore, every floor in the complex has a lobby where the students
study.
I believe that it is time the ULV community begins to appreciate the
great job the Office of Housing and Residential Life has been doing. The
Housing Director, Derek Vergara, has done a great job in improving the residence
halls with the limited resources that he has. The resident assistants and
the program assistants have been doing a great job. These RA's and PA's
are students of this University and this is a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week job.
We need to start to focus on the positive things that they are doing for
the ULV community and give them support.
Abel Sanchez
Senior
Head Resident Assistant
Dear Editor,
In response to the Sept. 12 "Distance
make the heart grow tired" opinion piece by Erica Aguilar, I would
like to address two major contradictions within her column, from someone
who once devoted their entire life to a long-distance relationship.
Although she says she was not generalizing, she unfairly classifies
males. She asks, "What is with guys today?" saying, "he treats
her bad and usually cheats...," or my personal favorite, women "are
not robots out to please men and their selfish wants and desires."
If this isn't stereotyping, I don't know what is. I'm sorry that she and
her friends don't know the wonderful men I've met in my life or on this
campus. I am announcing, as a single, non-bitter woman, that all women do
not feel this way. I would like to remind the author that we both know just
as many women who disrespect men.
Secondly, I realize Ms. Aguilar is trying to help women with their potential,
but her arguments sadden me. She mentions that a man "leaves the girl
hanging out on a limb by herself." I only hope that a woman has developed
her own sense of identity and self-esteem that she is not abandoned once
a man is absent. I argue my fellow women are secure enough to accomplish
their dreams without a male counterpart.
So when you state that "what almost every woman wants [is] undying
love and respect" from a man, I advise they first demand this from
the person who matters most-themselves. Ask the men later!
Stephanie Osborne
Senior
