It is that time of the semester again when students sit down and plan out their future. It is time to register for classes. Registration is an agonizing time. Does this class count toward my major? Can that class count as an elective? What do I need to graduate? These questions and more are typical during registration. In past semesters, the process included students sitting down with their advisers and planning out a schedule together. Now, with registration being conducted on FrogNet, the requirement for an adviser to sign students' registration cards has been eliminated. Students are free to choose what classes they want without having to sit through advising. This, however, creates some new problems. Most departments either offer group advising or no advising at all, and students have been reluctant to go. If students choose not to attend advising, they have to guess what classes they still need to take to graduate. A simple solution to this problem would be to utilize FrogNet and create a program that outlines the required classes that students need for their major. This program would check off the classes already taken and tell students what they still need to take. FrogNet has already made the registration process convenient for students who don't have time to wait in long lines to register. Overall, it has made registration easier for students. But if we are going to make students self-sufficient and eliminate advisers, then there needs to be a way students can go through the entire process online.
Chew on this: tasty tidbits to talk about
Below are choice cutlets of commentary presented for your mental mastication: Mountain Dew In a recent "Dear Abby" column, a reader wrote in asking for Abby's help in dispelling the rumor that the soft drink Mountain Dew can help prevent pregnancies. Apparently, just drinking the stuff is supposed to lower the sperm count of men. How so, I wonder? Just what is in Mountain Dew, anyway?
Elián González At long last, someone heard me when I said, "Why do we think that there are only two options in this discussion? A third alternative is for Fidel Castro to send Elián's father here." If everyone plays their cards right, everyone can come out of this smelling like roses. If Castro lets dear old Dad come to the United States to stay, he can look like a really good guy. He would lose one of his fellow countrymen, but the political windfall could be enormous, and these days, Castro could use all the good public relations he can get.
Campaign 2000 George W. Bush finally won out in the Republican primaries, although it was a hard-fought and expensive campaign. As I mentioned in a previous column, the mistakes Bush made exposed his inexperience in running a national campaign. The battle with John McCain was just the preliminaries. Campaigning against Vice President Al Gore will prove to be the fight of Bush's political life. That is, if Gore can keep from shooting himself in the foot too many times. E-mailGate, the latest Clinton scandal, comes at the worst possible time - when Gore is trying to steal John McCain's campaign finance reform thunder. What a tangled web Gore must weave to get out of the mess he never really got out of from the Democratic campaign funding scandals of 1996. This will be Gore's credibility test, and he needs to pass it. Soon will come the selection process for a running mate for Bush and Gore. The Republicans can make things very interesting if they select either Elizabeth Dole or Alan Keyes. Will they do it? What have they got to lose? In the meantime, I predict that the Democrats will pick a white male. You watch.
The Academy Awards show Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
The Pope I was really impressed on how much coverage John Paul II got during his visit to the Holy Land. Most impressive are the many mentions of his intentions to reconcile past and present disagreements among the Jews, Muslims and Christians and his efforts to build foundations for peace in the embattled Holy Land. However, the press still couldn't keep from mentioning the pope's present physical condition. No report I read or heard failed to use such adjectives as "frail," "slow-moving" or "shuffling" when mentioning the pope. It is said that he has Parkinson's disease, which is what U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno has. Like the pope, Reno's condition has become visibly noticeable, but I have yet to see a mention of "the slow-moving Janet Reno" or "the shuffling U.S. attorney general" in news stories about her. I hate to think that the media are slipping jabs at the pope to keep from sounding too much like they are praising him, but such jabs are hard to miss, especially with the frequency that the media throw them.
The tornado in Fort Worth Once in a while, a reminder comes that Mother Nature can sometimes be cruel, but it is also in such times that often brings out the virtuosity and nobility in the citizens of our communities. This disaster helped to bring the city together and to recognize the indispensable roles that many of our city workers play. It also serves as an important reminder of just how fragile life is. Five lives were lost in this storm, but it could have easily been a lot worse. Make an effort to offer your prayers, time, money or material goods to those who were not so fortunate as you during this storm.
John P. Araujo is an MLA graduate student
from Fort Worth.
Pedestrians need to realize streets intended for drivers, cars, not speed humps or children I am writing in response to the March 28 article on the installation of speed humps in the Tanglewood area. Resident Lynette Jensen seems abhorrent that an anonymous driver, who may or may not have been a TCU student, sped past and terrified her 5-year-old daughter on Hartwood Drive. This anecdote appears intended to evoke shock, dismay and possible condemnation from the reader, along with a healthy dose of sympathy for poor Mrs. Jensen and her tot. Am I the only reader to find shock and dismay at the fact the Jensen was so surprised to see cars speeding by in the street? I'm not saying that little kids should be beaten up and have their lunch money stolen to be taught that life's not fair. It seems that this hysterical child got a valuable lesson in how the world works. Cars go in the street. That's what streets are for. No cars, no streets. The name of the street is Hartwood DRIVE, not Hartwood "Walk with your daughter." If this lady wants to ask for anything, she should be pushing for a sidewalk. Speed bumps are an unnecessary hassle that can really lead to major road rage for some people, including me. In America, we have the freedom to break laws. If we get caught, we face the consequences. The key is individual responsibility. It seems Jensen would sacrifice freedom in order to avoid dealing with the possibility of raising her child in the real world.
- Daniel Bramlette senior radio-TV-film major
Skiff columnist misguided in challenging faith, belief that people should try to change God This is in response to the March 28 column in the Skiff. It is very arrogant and dangerous to try to test and change a holy God. God doesn't need anyone to do what he wants to on and with this earth. He is still in control of this world. We are partially responsible for what goes on down here in Earth, but that doesn't mean that God is clueless of it. The columnist says that we are moving toward a one-people world, but I don't see that ever happening. For that to happen, everyone would have to agree on religion, politics, abortion and gay rights, and no one could be racist. As far as I am concerned, we are not as advanced as we would all like to think. It isn't Jesus who needs to change but everyone here on this earth. I am not trying to convert anyone here, but it is sad that people make Jesus so complicated and try to change him.
- Dionne Melton senior studio arts major
-Kate Simonides, junior radio-TV-film major
-John Martin, senior advertising/public relations major
-DeDe Cullum, sophomore elementary education major
-Regan Boxwell, senior Spanish and English major
-Zu Williams, senior marketing major
-Kyle Engelbrecht, freshman speech communication major |
"There needs to be more of a variety
of different classes at different times. Registration has been a nightmare
for me, and I am stuck on what to take."
"I would change the whole fraternity and sorority scene.
There needs to be more individualism among students, not just association."
"I would change how TCU publicizes (its) sporting events.
As it stands now, attendance is low because students are not informed of
dates and times."
"I would establish smoking sections
on campus."
"I would allow there to be more interacting between
students. We are slowly getting more diverse people, but ... (minority
students) are still sitting by (themselves)."
"I would change the Greek system. (It
has) too much influence over the university. (It) also establishes cliques,
and this prevents people from interacting."
The TCU Daily Skiff © 1998, 1999 Credits |