n In response to the rather scathing editorial, “Phasing Out CGS,” (page 4, Oct. 17) I must say that it’s rather sad that such place of learning has to receive such a bum rap from the rest of the school. The dubbing of “Crayons, Glue and Scissors” or “College of Grade School” is unfair and for the most part lacks evidence to support such names. I received some of my best education from the College of General Studies, and it was this school, that is made fun of so much, that influenced me to become an International Relations major.

The beauty behind CGS is the diversity of its courses and the more interpersonal relationship that many of the professors have with their students. To truly learn one must bond with the educator on a smaller level, and to be truthful, many College of Arts and Sciences, College of Communication, School of Management and School of Engineering lectures hardly provide that. Some of the best minds, such as professors Baublitz, Corrin, Wexelblatt and Whalen, that I’ve ever met I did while I was in CGS, and given the limited resources they have, I admire them. I have yet to meet another humanities professor that would come even close to professor Robert Wexelblatt, a man who since the 1970s has enlightened students to think outside of their social spheres – influencing the many courses of action students take in their own lives. I know because I was one of them. If I was just a regular CAS student, there’s no way I would even conceive of taking a science, philosophy or humanities course. I have CGS to thank for enlightening me by giving me such an opportunity to take classes outside my interests.

CGS provides an excellent basis of education for those who are indecisive of their major, giving them a close social atmosphere to make friends while learning on a more in-depth level than most core classes in the other schools. Yes, CGS does have its faults, such as the academic standards, but then again no school is perfect. It is far from the place to score an easy A, as the science programs and the rather difficult Capstone project were challenges to me, even including my CAS courses. Many outsiders think that a student from CGS can’t be taken as seriously in academics from a non-CGS student, based upon the fact that they go to CGS, and that’s not only ignorant, but a fallacy in and of itself. The same men and women I still go to class and see in CAS do very well, partially because of the CGS education they got while attending the school, where they got an education that was perhaps better than many non-CGS students I know who insult CGS. The bonds formed from that school are undoubtedly strong even if we’ve gone our separate ways after.

The stigma that CGS is BU’s high school is slander at best, without a whole lot of evidence to back it up. For those who insult it and haven’t even known anything about it first-hand, you should learn to put your money where your mouth is.

Colin Minich CGS ’04 CAS ’06