Smith Letter

To the Editor,
This is a response to the article “Group to revamp Central’s image.” This university tailors its curricula to mediocre students. New professors who expect the students to read six to eight books (Goddess forbid) for a 300-plus level course are told the students felt the course was too difficult (via their responses on the Student Opinion Surveys) and are told in no uncertain terms that their jobs are on the line unless they water their courses down.
I would have loved to attend Berkeley, UCLA or U of M where there are high expectations of students, but I couldn’t afford it. Because I could afford CMU, I am relegated to a mediocre education because the majority of students who respond to the S.O.S. forms are not driven, apathetic and unwilling to be challenged intellectually. I don’t see how this is fair to me, the other motivated students in the minority, or the professors who appreciate the value of “higher education.” In fact I’d say this is classist.
CMU’s image of mediocrity isn’t going to be improved by some stupid marketing campaign. There isn’t any mask big enough to cover the ugly face of a university that puts profit above education. The administration wants a better image? Pay attention to the voices of students that excel in classes, and not just those who need their hands held as the professors are forced to baby step them to their degrees. It is the students who excel who are going to make names for ourselves when we graduate by continuing to push the boundaries. We are going to improve the image of CMU by virtue (hah!) of having attended CMU. It makes more sense to ensure our going as far as possible, rather than hold us to mediocrity because it is popular.
CMU has a mediocre image because in the name of the all-mighty dollar, the administration has carefully designed it that way.