LETTERS: Where are all the positives?
Let me preface this letter to the editor by saying that I am an active member of the CMU community in every aspect.
This being my fifth year, I have read my fair share of CM-Life articles. As of late, the articles have come across as increasingly negative toward the very students this paper is written for.
I understand the need to cover all aspects of campus life no matter if it is positive or negative. However, it does not sit well with me when I have to read multiple articles in one edition that document the various issues the police had to handle on welcome weekend and state things such as, "(The situation is) leaving our campus community a psychological wasteland of missed opportunities and mediocrity.”
I am neither condoning nor condemning the Welcome Weekend activities referenced by the previous statements. What I do not appreciate though is the sensationalized way that these stories have been presented as of late. From attacks on specific student groups to the overzealous coverage of Welcome Weekend, stories such as these have become the focus of this newspaper from a reader’s perspective.
When did it become the goal of journalism to alienate its readers and call attention to all the negative aspects of our university? I understand that there have been issues in many aspects of campus life during my time here, but where are all the positives? Why not focus on the fact that Leadership Safari had two thousand participants this year? What about the students who are out in the field accomplishing outstanding things everyday and representing this university to the best of their abilities?
I understand not everything can be sunshine and daises, but is it really necessary to have three front page stories about Welcome Weekend being a blight on our campus community while MAINstage—which had the highest attendance I have seen in my tenure here—had four pictures and not even a full paragraph on page three?
By no means am I attempting to discount the abilities of the CM-Life staff; rather, I am challenging the staff to write stories that matter while not shaming the student body and staff. As a fellow Chip that is still fired up to attend—in my opinion—the greatest college to ever exist, I want to hear more about the positives that I get to see happen every day, not just the unfortunate events that are out of the ordinary.
