Located in a county where the majority of residents are White Americans, many would be surprised at the diversity that can be found on the campus of Frostburg State University. While Allegany County, MD is 91.4% White Americans, the campus is only 68.5%. Here at FSU, 23.7% of the students are African American, 1.6% are Asian, and 2.6% are of Hispanic origin. Overall, all majorities make up 28.3% of the campus population.
So, do the students here agree with these numbers? Some do and some don't, and some have mixed feelings on the subject. Beth Andrews, a sophomore from Hagerstown, MD, said, "Yes. For the location of the school there is a lot of diversity-at least more diversity than expected by many." Psychology major, Leanna Atkins feels a little differently however. When asked whether she believed there was a good balance of different race and ethnicities at Frostburg State, she answered both yes and no. She replied, "When it comes to the majority there are only two races, but other than that I think it is good."
Faculty members, like Lisa Fey of the FSU Admissions office, agrees with both students that there is a good balance of diversity. She said that yes she does believe there is: While she did not have any specific statistics herself, she stated, "Based on visiting other locations on campus, it is pretty obvious there is diversity."
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Will all your money be spent before you can drive to work to make it?
“Gas prices are way too high!” said Bernard Wynder, the assistant vice president at Frostburg State. “I hope the population is not fooled by these prices. “ It was said that the gas prices were to go down after Labor Day. Well Labor Day has come and gone and the prices are getting higher. In Frostburg as of last night the cheapest gas was $ 2.85 9/10 at the Martians gas station. However, in Baltimore last night gas was $ 2.57 9/10 at the eagle mart. How can gas prices be that much different? Shaneka Baker a junior accounting major from Baltimore does not understand this either. “They are crazy how much they want for gas. It is crazy how it jumps from high to low.” There is no way gas can fluctuate from more than a few pennies every few days. Donna Sivic, the administrative assistant for the career center also thinks it is very suspicious. “I think they price gouge during holidays and the summer. They take gas prices up even when the prices of the barrels stay the same. We all should just stop buying gas and walk everywhere and I’m sure the prices will go way down.”
Proud to be a Bobcat
Drinking. Drugs. Campus that doesn’t care. Skipping class. Old, ugly campus. Food sucks. Too many parties. Fail out. Too Cold.
These are the rumors that circulate about Frostburg State University throughout high schools, youth groups, and parent-teacher associations. Maybe you have heard them yourself, and maybe you actually believed them. But when students attending the university were polled, results turned out much different than one would have thought.
When Annemarie Turner, a biology major from Crofton, Maryland, was asked the question “Are you proud to admit that you are a Frostburg student” she looked puzzled before saying “Yeah, I go here, so why wouldn’t I be?” Her answer reflects the same views of her peers and friends, especially Mary Biscoe.
Mary, from Prince Frederick, says she “loves Frostburg because of the diverse campus and the awesome alumni networking opportunities.” Her two majors, Law and Society and Sociology, have given her many opportunities on and off campus, which she appreciates. Like Latia Hopkins from Baltimore City, Mary is not afraid to say she loves her campus. Latia, a Political Science and Law and Society Major, agrees with Mary and Annemarie because she is not afraid to say she is proud to be a student at Frostburg State University.
So, where do you stand on the issue? Shouldn’t it be up to the students of Frostburg themselves to formulate an opinion, instead of people who do not even attend the school? Frostburg’s reputation is just another example of how you need to see something before you believe it.
These are the rumors that circulate about Frostburg State University throughout high schools, youth groups, and parent-teacher associations. Maybe you have heard them yourself, and maybe you actually believed them. But when students attending the university were polled, results turned out much different than one would have thought.
When Annemarie Turner, a biology major from Crofton, Maryland, was asked the question “Are you proud to admit that you are a Frostburg student” she looked puzzled before saying “Yeah, I go here, so why wouldn’t I be?” Her answer reflects the same views of her peers and friends, especially Mary Biscoe.
Mary, from Prince Frederick, says she “loves Frostburg because of the diverse campus and the awesome alumni networking opportunities.” Her two majors, Law and Society and Sociology, have given her many opportunities on and off campus, which she appreciates. Like Latia Hopkins from Baltimore City, Mary is not afraid to say she loves her campus. Latia, a Political Science and Law and Society Major, agrees with Mary and Annemarie because she is not afraid to say she is proud to be a student at Frostburg State University.
So, where do you stand on the issue? Shouldn’t it be up to the students of Frostburg themselves to formulate an opinion, instead of people who do not even attend the school? Frostburg’s reputation is just another example of how you need to see something before you believe it.
What's For Dinner???
McDonald’s, Burger King, Chick-fil-A or “the caf”??? Many college students may find themselves in this predicament just about every day. The idea of going to the cafeteria is most logical to some students, like sophomore and Business Administration major Troy Vermillion, who says, "There's no point in spending money when I spent money on a meal plan." He also said that although he doesn't really like the food, it's already been paid for. So it makes one wonder, if students were given the option to use meal plan in places like McDonald's, would they still go to the cafeteria?
Since the closing of The Lane Center, many students have been sustained by substitute in Tawes Hall, Sub Zero, and the cafeteria. However, students like freshman Catori Langley don't mind the expense of take-out on a regular basis. "Living in Edgewood makes it hard to get to
the cafeteria and Tawes, so I just order food because it comes to me," she said. Most students who live off-campus or in Edgewood like Catori may be more open to the idea of ordering food or going elsewhere to eat. On the other hand, students living on campus may see the expense as a hassle, so they rarely seek off-campus food. Sophomore Caitlin Moore eats take-out maybe once a week or less, stating, "I hate having to wait for the bus just to get something I could get by walking a few feet."
No matter where one may decide to eat, it is unanimous that all students enjoy the option to choose. So whether the final choice is Chinese, pizza, or Tawes, students are at least happy to have the freedom of choice, which seems the most important option of all.
Since the closing of The Lane Center, many students have been sustained by substitute in Tawes Hall, Sub Zero, and the cafeteria. However, students like freshman Catori Langley don't mind the expense of take-out on a regular basis. "Living in Edgewood makes it hard to get to
the cafeteria and Tawes, so I just order food because it comes to me," she said. Most students who live off-campus or in Edgewood like Catori may be more open to the idea of ordering food or going elsewhere to eat. On the other hand, students living on campus may see the expense as a hassle, so they rarely seek off-campus food. Sophomore Caitlin Moore eats take-out maybe once a week or less, stating, "I hate having to wait for the bus just to get something I could get by walking a few feet."
No matter where one may decide to eat, it is unanimous that all students enjoy the option to choose. So whether the final choice is Chinese, pizza, or Tawes, students are at least happy to have the freedom of choice, which seems the most important option of all.
The Student's President
"I talked to him all the time when I was a student" claimed Sarah Smith. Sarah adds, "I don't remember if I have talked to him while working here as a Grad Student though." Whether purely coincidental or evidence of a trend this answer seems to be common place.
Alex Ferintinos is a junior here at Frostburg State University. Her interactions with Dr. Jonathan Gibralter ( Frostburg State University's President) suggest a casual relationship, more that of new friends than a President and his student. "Oh hey I liked the show you were in" Alex recalls him saying. "Yeah I met you in the gym, Mark Bowling introduced us!" she responded. This common place meeting seems to be a regular happening between President Gibralter and his students.
Is Dr. Gibralter's close relationship with the student body mirrored by his relationship with Faculty and Staff? Barbara Stahl, Accounting 3 Clerk for Frostburg State University, " might have spoken to him once." Several employees like Autumn Brode, the Administrative Assistant fro Student and Community Involvement, claim that they spoke to him "when he first got here but not since."
One thing is for sure, Dr. Gibralter does make it a priority to communicate and involve himself with the student body.
Views on the War in Iraq
A majority of Americans would say that the war in Iraq is an important issue. Whether or not a person is for or against it, he or she would have to admit that it is a vital topic in today’s society. For some, however, it is difficult to formulate an opinion. When asked about her views on the war in Iraq, Courtney Smith, a senior business major from Bel Air, Maryland, resisted the question. “I’m not really a good person to ask,” stated Smith. She admitted to not knowing much and not being up-to-date on the happenings of the war. Many college students seem to be ignorant of this issue in the news. “I’m not really up-to-date,” says Tasha Murray, a junior/senior early childhood/elementary education major from Baltimore. However, she believes that the “war needs to stop so the soldiers can come home.” Murray mentioned that she has a lot of family in the army. This can alter someone’s opinion on the war as well. Rachael Keil, a senior athletic training major from Annapolis, Maryland, has a close tie to the war; her brother has been to Iraq twice. Keil believes we are fighting an “endless war” and that “we went with good intentions but now it’s a big mess.” It seems that the more the war affects a person, the greater knowledge and opinion he or she has on it.
To Rock, or Not to Rock The Vote? That Is The Question...
It's almost that time of year, where people are scrambling to their local elementary school to get in line and vote! Advertisements plague local television, picket signs are placed in your neighbors front yards, and t-shirts are being handed out to encourage you to go out and vote. Only...wait a second, the President has only been in office for two years, right? Who the heck are we voting for then?
It could be considered sad that most students don't even know that there is another four year cycle of voting that takes place for local and state government and legislation. Freshman student Doug Kendricks, a Wildlife Biology major from Cherry Hill was asked if he was going to vote in the upcoming midterm elections, and he responded "When is midterm elections?" After telling him when the upcoming elections were held, he then responded "Well, as long as there is a black guy running, I'll vote for him, haha." Though he may have said that in a joking manner, it was clear he had no knowledge of the candidates who are in the running and possibly no idea what they will be running for.
Another student who was interviewed simply replied with "No, I don't really care about these elections." Ashley Tilghman, a law major from Upper Marlboro, continued by saying "The Presidential elections are what's important to me." When told that these elections directly effect the state that she currently lives in, she had nothing to say.
To get another prospective, an English Department Professor was asked the same question as the students. Andy Duncan responded to the question, saying "Yes, I've always voted. Since I've turned 18, I haven't missed a vote. And if I do, I fill out an absentee ballot."
Through just these three simple interviews, it's clear that there is a lack of exposure of the importance of the midterm elections to students. Therefore, the lack of exposure leads to a lack of interest, resulting in a lack of voting participants. You can't be sure who to blame here. Do you blame schools for not better promoting mid term elections? Do you blame the election nominees for not reaching out to students more? Or do you just blame students for not showing the interest needed from the future adults of America?
It could be considered sad that most students don't even know that there is another four year cycle of voting that takes place for local and state government and legislation. Freshman student Doug Kendricks, a Wildlife Biology major from Cherry Hill was asked if he was going to vote in the upcoming midterm elections, and he responded "When is midterm elections?" After telling him when the upcoming elections were held, he then responded "Well, as long as there is a black guy running, I'll vote for him, haha." Though he may have said that in a joking manner, it was clear he had no knowledge of the candidates who are in the running and possibly no idea what they will be running for.
Another student who was interviewed simply replied with "No, I don't really care about these elections." Ashley Tilghman, a law major from Upper Marlboro, continued by saying "The Presidential elections are what's important to me." When told that these elections directly effect the state that she currently lives in, she had nothing to say.
To get another prospective, an English Department Professor was asked the same question as the students. Andy Duncan responded to the question, saying "Yes, I've always voted. Since I've turned 18, I haven't missed a vote. And if I do, I fill out an absentee ballot."
Through just these three simple interviews, it's clear that there is a lack of exposure of the importance of the midterm elections to students. Therefore, the lack of exposure leads to a lack of interest, resulting in a lack of voting participants. You can't be sure who to blame here. Do you blame schools for not better promoting mid term elections? Do you blame the election nominees for not reaching out to students more? Or do you just blame students for not showing the interest needed from the future adults of America?
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