| Movin' on up
Today marks the inauguration of Skiff TV, a news Internet site that combines print, broadcast and the World Wide Web, allowing people to see, hear and watch TCU news. The technological phenomenon is made possible by students in the Broadcast Reporting class who record, write and edit their own stories for the Internet site. Starting today, people will be able to log onto the Skiff Web site (www.skiff.tcu.edu) and click on a link that allows them to view a taped news broadcast. Beginning next semester, the taped video clips will correspond to news and sports stories that appear in the Skiff, giving people the option of reading the story, viewing the broadcast or doing both. Suzanne Huffman is chairwoman of the broadcast journalism sequence and faculty member most responsible for the implementation of Skiff TV. She said TCU is one of a few programs in the country utilizing the Internet in different ways to complement the existing media at their schools. Working with this new media outlet will make graduates more competitive in the job market and will give an international focus to the journalism department, to the Skiff and its Web site, she said. An alumnus anonymously donated $5,000 for the purchase of microphones, video cameras and tripods, and the university recently gave the journalism department $15,000 for editing equipment to be used with Skiff TV. Tommy Thomason, chairman of the journalism department, said the program was brought to TCU because of the convergence of print and broadcast that will occur in the near future. But Skiff TV does not benefit only journalism majors. It is a cutting-edge technology that will bring national and international prominence to the university and help to further educate the members of its community as well.
Prez's Internet chat positive for politics In an Internet chat room somewhere in America. SlickWillie: "53/m here. Any ladies wanna chat?" TheAmericanPublic: "So, uh, Mr. President, what is your position on campaign finance reform?" SlickWillie: "LOL. He said 'position!'" OK, so maybe it wasn't exactly like that. Bill Clinton became the first president to participate in a live Internet chat Nov. 8. many Americans have since dubbed his Internet chat as a great technological advance for the United States political system. But Mariano Castillo, columnist for The Batallion at Texas A&M University, wrote last week that the president's online discussion was a political digression. "Until the number of voters with access to the Internet becomes greater than the number of voters with access to a television or radio, chats such as Clinton's will have a negative effect on democracy in the United States," Castillo wrote. "Franklin Roosevelt's 'Fireside Chats' and John F. Kennedy's television press conferences brought politics within the reach of the masses with, of course, the exception of those without televisions or radios." Those presidents didn't reach every American, and Clinton won't either. But they all tried. They all made an effort to bring the White House to every house, and that's what counts in the grand scheme of things. Castillo wrote that only 50,000 Internet surfers were able to log on to chat with the president. Granted, it was a small portion of the population. But that was also 50,000 more people who got to "talk" to the one of the most powerful men in the world. That's 50,000 people who showed interest in the government when they could have been chatting with fellow singles or other members of 'N Sync fan clubs. That's impressive. What reason is there to complain about 50,000 people getting to talk to the leader of their country? Last time I checked, that's why we let him live in that big house in Washington. Castillo wrote there are 215 million televisions and 540 million radios in the United States. "Such large coverage means that those who want to hear a debate or meeting can," he wrote. "Even if a political event is not covered by a standard channel, it will surely be on C-SPAN." But not all of those 215 million television sets have access to cable channels like C-SPAN. Those who do have cable access rely on reporters to ask the important questions. And - don't let this get around - reporters don't always ask what people want to know. Though the questions in the chat were screened and chosen before Clinton answered them, the chat allowed participants in the Internet chat session to ask what they wanted to know. Castillo, however, wrote the screening process increased the chances of "manipulated questions." "It is the definition of hypocrisy when the president of the United States and his supporters can talk proudly about what a huge step for democracy the event was, when he screened all the questions," Castillo wrote. Of course they would be screened. There are always inappropriate questions from Internet chatters, whether they are asked of the president or of the average citizen. Surely this Internet chat with the president will be improved with time, just as television and radio coverage has improved through the years. There's no sense in condemning something based on its inaugural run. So for now, let's be content that 50,000 of our neighbors got to chat with the president. After all, that's 50,000 people that wouldn't have gotten to talk to him otherwise.
Opinion Editor Laura Head is a junior news-editorial journalism major from Shreveport, La. She can be reached at (lahead@delta.is.tcu.edu). Equality struggling to exist Ingrained in so many of the ideals that we hold to be American is one unifying theme: equality of opportunity. Without equality of opportunity there can be no freedom. Without equality of opportunity there can be no impartial justice. Without equality of opportunity there can never be equal access to resources, and of course, there can be no equality. Why is it that so many people who believe in these other American ideals deny the necessity of equality of opportunity? How can those people who stand against policies that promote this equality call themselves Americans? It seems that many people believe that equality presently exists in America, and that prejudice and discrimination are things to be found in our history books, not in our social institutions. Wake up, people! Inequity still exists in its many manifestations here in the United States. People are being discriminated against in schools and in the workplace on the basis of their religion, race or ethnicity, and gender. Yes, I said gender. You may have been told, "The glass ceiling is shattered" or "The women's rights movement is over," (hence the term "post-feminism"), but these are weak-minded falsities. So much of our socialization is based on traditional gender roles, many of which are harmful and demeaning to women and thus to society as a whole. In addition to that, discrimination against females still exists in the workplace. A headline in the Nov. 15 Dallas Morning News reads, "Female Senate workers earn 83 percent of men's pay." Compare this to a national average of 69 percent of the male salary, and it becomes evident that the cry for "equal pay for equal work" is yet to be answered. Those who say that women have nothing left to fight for are either simply ignoring the facts or don't care enough to rationally consider the point. But that is only the beginning. In addition to gender, race and ethnicity, there are also areas where inequality is evident to any person willing to take the time and effort to entertain the thought. Nationally, black employees earn an average of 71 cents to every dollar of the average white employee's salary, and Hispanics earn only 66 cents to the dollar. Contrary to the beliefs of many, this is not due to the inherent inferiority of minority races. It is due to an intricate web of factors that include inequalities in public schools, preferential hiring practices and socialization factors that are beyond the scope of this column. I do not know all of the causes of these inequalities, but my life experiences tell me that they do undeniably exist. I attended two different high schools in the same school district. One was in a primarily black neighborhood, and one was in a white neighborhood. One school was equipped with computers in each classroom and extensive college placement programs. The other school was outfitted with technical job training and a direct job placement program, guaranteeing graduates a labor intensive job in a struggling business. I will let you guess which was which. This in a country where many people deny that racism exists. This in a country where many people oppose policies that would give minorities and women a chance to compete on more even ground with those of the dominant group. How can Americans deny that we have yet to realize equal opportunity in the United States? A tour of the Long Beach Unified School District's high schools would shut the mouth of anyone who believes that inequality does not exist in America's schools and thus in America as a whole. The "American Dream" is to have a chicken in every pot, not a chicken in some people's pot and a crow in the pot of others. The American ideals of freedom, justice and equality can not exist without true equal opportunity, which itself cannot exist in a place where diversity is not even addressed. For those who believe this whole issue of diversity has been blown way out of proportion, I want to say that diversity and equality are not small issues. In fact, these issues are at the heart of the American dream.
Zachary Norris is a senior biology major from Long Beach, Calif. He can be reached at (pookyson@hotmail.com). Letters to the editor Homecoming decorations leave campus in messy state I am writing on behalf of a group of students that is all for school spirit and homecoming decoration. However, we are also in favor of maintaining the beauty of the TCU campus. Supporting our school by putting up signs and banners is great, but those who do the decorating are also responsible for disposing of such decorations in an appropriate manner. Removal of decorations is neither the responsibility of the housekeeping staff nor the students and faculty who occupy the building. To all those who displayed such enthusiastic school spirit for the Frogs, please be responsible and clean up your handiwork. Alexis Cormier senior modern dance major
Texas A&M graduate appreciates outpour of support for victims I would like to express my appreciation to everyone at TCU for the memorial service that was held for the Aggies who were lost and injured in the tragic bonfire accident. I am truly moved by the outpour of support and will forever hold TCU near and dear to my heart. Thank you and God bless. Robert Gutierrez TAMU '93 graduate
Aggie alumnus thanks campus for support during tragedy I attended Friday's vigil for the fallen Aggies who died at the bonfire site. The past few days have been hard for everyone, not just Aggies. I just wanted to thank TCU for the undying love and support during these hard times. Your gestures to offer condolences have been heart-felt by all Aggies, and we're very grateful. TCU is a true class act. I've always liked TCU, but my liking for your school has increased ten-fold. There were many TCU folks who attended the vigil, and their thoughts and consideration haven't gone unnoticed by the Aggies in attendance. TCU's kind gestures are a true act of humanity. For anyone who is in any way associated with TCU, I sincerely thank you for your support, consideration and prayers. God bless. Randy Treviño TAMU '99 graduate
TCU lacks minority numbers that reflect hometown demographics I was extremely happy to see the Skiff print the article about local high schools whose student body consists of mainly minority students and how they are not being recruited enough by TCU. It is about time this problem has been addressed. I am a Mexican-American female who is from Fort Worth and chose TCU to stay close to the home I love. Yet when I arrived here last year as a freshman, I felt as if I was in another town. TCU does NOT represent Fort Worth in any way. I did not understand how I could be within the Fort Worth city limits and feel like I was in another state. I realized part of the problem was that TCU really was a bubble and did not target the local minority students, even though these high schools represent the heart of Fort Worth and its culture. You would never know that Fort Worth has a high Hispanic population and that there's a love for customs such as Tejano dancing and quinceaneras by going to TCU. I know first-hand that Fort Worth high schools see TCU as a university that doesn't care and wouldn't give them a chance. To them, TCU is BMWs and stuck-up sorority girls who pay for their friends. We have a great campus to offer here! Why are we keeping it hidden from our own home town? Thank you Joel Anderson for your article! Celestina Phillips sophomore advertising/ public relations major
Punishment for not attending class reminiscent of high school I've noticed lately that TCU is not really a major university at all. It is high school revisited. Here at TCUHS we have an attendance policy that is stricter than Texas public high schools. At least in high school you could serve a detention instead of losing points from your average. To be excused, the absence must be an official university absence - This is pathetic. Should we bring back hall passes, too? A student's grade shouldn't suffer because of absences. His truancy should show up in his test and paper scores. If you want us to go to class, make it worth our while. Be fascinating. Change the tone of your voice occasionally. Challenge me. Rock the foundation of my beliefs. Inspire my mind, and you will inspire my attendance. Shelley Corder sophomore English/ art history major |
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