STAFF EDIT: Come together

Despite attempts to study literally every subject offered at Boston University, students are often ultimately faced with a tough decision: abandoning an unfinished degree, minor or concentration, forfeiting the pursuit altogether in face of the administrative challenges within different colleges at the University. And unfortunately, more often than not, students also lose sight of what is really important: an education.

There are certainly exceptions to be made for students who make a valid proposal to substitute a liberal arts concentration in the College of Communication, say, for a marketing minor in the School of Management, but what is most important is that the student learns the skills he or she needs to land a job and have a successful career, especially in this economy.

But this can be done by taking the classes as electives and learning the material and skills to better the student’s odds at landing, and keeping, a job. What needs to be noted is that a set of skills is usually more important and much more promising than an extra, unnecessary addition to a diploma. But none of this can be done with the strict rules in place that keep students not registered in specific schools out of the certain classes.

While it is clear that there is a reason for these restrictions &-&- for instance, COM is one of the better programs in the country because of its focus on a liberal arts curricula alongside the studies of communication &-&- but these requirements should be in place in order for a student to succeed, and the restrictions that are also in place are not helping.

Students should unite to tell the administration that coveted seats in classes such as graphic design through the visual arts program in the College of Fine Arts are a valuable asset to the BU community. Marketing and hospitality classes and others like those that teach a set of valuable skills in almost any profession should be easier to register for too.

Of course, the flip side of these restrictions is that students are able to concentrate entirely on their one degree. Yet today’s job market is looking for entry-level workers who can multitask with the several skills, thus doing the job of two people for the price of one. BU needs to prepare its students for this, though without sacrificing the integrity of its most prestigious programs, and consider allowing two “degrees” for the price of one a bit easier &-&- not academically, but instead by being more flexible with requirements on a case-by-case basis.