In his recent letter to the editor (‘Problematic freshmen,’ Nov. 20), I feel that Martin Morales is mistaken in his assessment of COM 102. As a freshman in the College of Communication, as well as a prisoner of COM 102, my classmates and I were overjoyed to see an article and editorial addressing the injustice we feel as we suffer through ‘How to BU.’
The hour class each week of COM 102 is not the problem. Rather, the fact that we as college students must sit through a CLASS on washing our hands, taking notes and reading a textbook is downright insulting. Morales called these resources ‘invaluable,’ but we learned these skills in preschool. COM and some of the teaching fellows for COM 102 must realize that we are 18 and 19 years old, not eight or nine.
Furthermore, upon realizing that the class was seen as a failure in the eyes of her students, Cecilia Lalama attempted to hold what she titled a ‘constructive criticism session.’ This conversation involved her asking who liked her class, calling on the one or two people who raised their hands, and then promptly cutting the dialogue off when students began voicing their own opinions about the class. This one-sided communication spoke a lot about what the COM administration thinks of its students’ level of intelligence.
While we as college students should recognize that taking our frustrations out on the speakers invited to speak in ‘How to BU’ is neither respectful nor mature, our displeasure about this course is legitimate. It is time for our voices to be heard.
‘ Arielle Aronson
‘ COM ’12
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Suck it up. You’re in COM.
Whether or not people are taught that they should wash their hands, doesn’t mean they will. I don’t think this class is going to change anyone’s hygiene habits.
The last comment is a perfect description of orientation. It’s not the best class ever but I get why it’s there.
If I remember correctly, the original purpose of these type of classes was to put students in small groups (so they could meet others easily) and give them a professor who could serve as a temporary adviser. They would discuss issues of relevance to BU and Boston.<p/>That seems to all have changed. I think a freshman program of sorts could succeed, but not this way.
Arielle