2008 Woodie Awards
Staff Editorial
Lakeland College: A Fractured Community
The Mirror Staff
Issue date: 12/10/03 Section: Opinions
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We here at the "Lakeland Mirror" decided to write our first staff editorial of the year on the topic of increased crime on campus, which was addressed on the front-page of our last issue. However, after discussing this, we realized that this problem is only a small fraction of the real problem plaguing the students of this campus.
Instead of the community that this college attempts to promote, in reality, this is a very fractured one; but the problem isn't necessarily the school's fault. The cause lies within all of us, the students.
The Mirror staff has come to realize that the increased crime is just a symptom of a splintered community. Most of us pay far more to go here than to any public school, and we expect an environment where we can trust that our belongings are safe.
This is a college of about 800 students, an amount smaller than many small towns and communities like Howards Grove, Plymouth, and Kiel. Yet it seems that people can trust each other more in those towns than we can at Lakeland.
Along with the crime on campus, many of us as students are apathetic. We have issues and problems but refuse to deal with them anyway. With this small of a community, it is quite easy to get things done. Students can write an e-mail or call professors, SA, publications or administration. Authority figures at this school really care about the satisfaction of the students.
For years, the Mirror has had an editorial policy open to letters to the editor on any subject, but students have not often taken advantage of this in recent years.
Our Opinions Editor, Paul Davis, wrote about it last issue, hoping to stir up some response, but it turns out this campus is even apathetic about being apathetic. Students and staff are too busy talking behind others' backs to take action in response to something liked or disliked with the quality of campus life.
Are you excited about the new coffee house we're getting? Write about it. Does it infuriate you that there is not one straight sidewalk on campus? Let people know! We understand some of you may be self conscious about your writing ability, but you can talk! Say something!
Instead of the community that this college attempts to promote, in reality, this is a very fractured one; but the problem isn't necessarily the school's fault. The cause lies within all of us, the students.
The Mirror staff has come to realize that the increased crime is just a symptom of a splintered community. Most of us pay far more to go here than to any public school, and we expect an environment where we can trust that our belongings are safe.
This is a college of about 800 students, an amount smaller than many small towns and communities like Howards Grove, Plymouth, and Kiel. Yet it seems that people can trust each other more in those towns than we can at Lakeland.
Along with the crime on campus, many of us as students are apathetic. We have issues and problems but refuse to deal with them anyway. With this small of a community, it is quite easy to get things done. Students can write an e-mail or call professors, SA, publications or administration. Authority figures at this school really care about the satisfaction of the students.
For years, the Mirror has had an editorial policy open to letters to the editor on any subject, but students have not often taken advantage of this in recent years.
Our Opinions Editor, Paul Davis, wrote about it last issue, hoping to stir up some response, but it turns out this campus is even apathetic about being apathetic. Students and staff are too busy talking behind others' backs to take action in response to something liked or disliked with the quality of campus life.
Are you excited about the new coffee house we're getting? Write about it. Does it infuriate you that there is not one straight sidewalk on campus? Let people know! We understand some of you may be self conscious about your writing ability, but you can talk! Say something!