Thursday, Sept. 25, 1980.

 

This year, once again, the student societys’ biggest
problem is student apathy. Or is it? Is student apathy a
problem at all?

It would not be an unreasonable statement to say that
the disinteres: of most students in student society
activities is not a problem, but rather a natural occurence
that should be accepted by the student society as healthy.

Perhaps student apathy is not where the problem lies.
Perhaps it is the student society's expectations of the
students that is the real problem.

What does the society expect students to do? Run
around supporting every event they dream up.

The function of the college is to provide éducation for
those who want ot. The extra cirricular activities are
supposed to be optional and those students who choose
not to engage in them do not deserve the derogatory
label, apathetic. They are not obligated to attend them,
therefore they should not be criticized for not doing so.

If an activity is poorly supported, apathetic students
should not be blamed for ruining it. The failure should be
taken as a signal for teh student society to consider the
laws of supply and demand; if the students are not
showing a demand for the services then the society
should consider stopping or reducing that service.

Because some students enjoy being active in the

happenings around the college and others are really not
interested in them, it does not seem fair that the
non-active person should have to support the active one
with his student fees. It is not a crime to be inactive, and
a penalty for it should not be paid.
Last spring semester the faculty and staff were allowed to
participate in student society activities if they paid the
same fees as the students. Those who took the
opportunity used it a lot.

Few students used the facilities available as much a
those who voluntarily paid the fee because they wanted
to take part in the activities.

No staff member who didn't want to support the
activities didn’t have to pay for them.

The student society should initiate a similar plan for
students. Of course, some fees would still have to be paid
by all the students to cover for fixed costs but a more fair
“pay as you play’’ system should be introduced.

BIll Day, principal of the New Westminster campus,
was the fret ever recipient of the infamous red brick
award. We couldn't find out why he got it but we are
sure that he deserved it.

Maybe he just wanted to see his picture in the paper.

Whatever he did we are certainly pleased that the
award was claimed and not simply allowed to drift into
extinction. We can now sit back and speculate about
which of our prestigious administrators will merit the
honour of next weeks prize. Everyone is cheering for
their favourite bureaucrat and there is little doubt that
thousands of dollars will change hands after each
announce ment.

. The:
teflect th:

 

  

 

 

 

The Other Press

page four

 

Mess

Dear Other Pressers

Can you explain (or can

anyone) to a stunned student Other Press;

} would print such absolute
newly furnished grossness on the front page of

(stundent) why, with a newly
painted,
cafeteria, the adult students
here at New West campus can
not put their garbbage in the
tins? Why waste the money
to improve the cafeteria facil-
ities when it seems the stu-
dents don’t care. Most days I
have to clean up food wrap- :
pers, coffee cups, coffee spills
and other garbage before I cn
eat. It tends to upset the
appetite. Any suggestions?

M. Chase
P.S. What are the chances
of taking photos of the mess
on the tables after a large
lunch break? And why not
institute a ‘Big Pigs’ table of
the week?

Other Press pix
meet disapproval

photograph on the front page

Dear Editor of this years’ first issue.

“The Please reply to this letter in
your next issue of ‘‘The Other
Press’’.

No wonder you call it
’’ no other press

Thank You
Yours Truly
C.B. Tompkins

.

its paper. This display of
ugliness, especially it being
the first issue of the year,

really shows the editor's in-
different attitude towards
what people like to see. A Thankyou for your lovely
student needs a lift now and comment on our photograph.
then, not a downer like your ‘ , A

photograph implies. fa this We're so glad you liked it! t
world there's enough ugli- Have you ever thought o
ness, we shouldn't have to becoming a nun or a preach-
put it on the front of our €t? You and Anita Brvant *
school newspaper. I might be should form an organization.

over-reacting, but then so are |!'™ sure your purity would

; Tsp indeed benefit the world. In
Oiner STOP etunentsy BTS reply to WHY we printed the

students would like to hear picture, WE LIKED IT! Need
the rationale behind thiswe say more.

Dear C.B. Tompkins

 

 

photograph on the front page.