2008 Woodie Awards
Letters to the Editor
Apathy plagues, embarasses Assumption
Katie Burke
Issue date: 10/21/04 Section: Viewpoint
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On Tuesday night, October 5th, the Assumption College community had the privilege having Margery Eagen and Jim Braude from 96.9 on campus to discuss the Vice Presidential debates. The VP debates were shown on a large screen in Laska Gymnasium, and immediately after the debate ended, Eagen and Braude broadcasted from Laska. This was a great opportunity for Assumption College to be advertised throughout the area, as 96.9 broadcasts throughout Massachusetts.
It was also a great opportunity for Assumption students to take part in their civic duty of being informed citizens, by watching the debate, and becoming more familiar with the issues of this year's election. There were a number of great things going on at this event, but the one thing this event lacked was students. With approximately 200 students at the event (roughly 10% of the school), what did this turnout show to the radio hosts of 96.9? What does this say about the political involvement of the student body? While some students stayed in their room to watch the "Real World" on MTV, 200 students were actually experiencing the real world in Laska Gymnasium. They were becoming informed voters, and they were showing support for our school.
I was quite embarrassed for our school when the radio hosts said the name "Assumption College," and all the crowd could offer up was a meager cheer, showing the lack of people at the event. For the 200 or so students and faculty that were there throughout the night, I would like to say thank you. You are doing your civic duty, and showing that you support the college. For those of you that did not attend, I ask why? The debate started at 9:00 pm, and Eagen and Braude began broadcasting at 10:30 pm. Classes were over for the night, clubs were over for the night, and, for the most part, work study was over. This was not just another open mic night, or a CAB sponsored comedian. This is your life. This is your civic duty. This is what college is about. But on Tuesday night, students chose to ignore these things.
It was also a great opportunity for Assumption students to take part in their civic duty of being informed citizens, by watching the debate, and becoming more familiar with the issues of this year's election. There were a number of great things going on at this event, but the one thing this event lacked was students. With approximately 200 students at the event (roughly 10% of the school), what did this turnout show to the radio hosts of 96.9? What does this say about the political involvement of the student body? While some students stayed in their room to watch the "Real World" on MTV, 200 students were actually experiencing the real world in Laska Gymnasium. They were becoming informed voters, and they were showing support for our school.
I was quite embarrassed for our school when the radio hosts said the name "Assumption College," and all the crowd could offer up was a meager cheer, showing the lack of people at the event. For the 200 or so students and faculty that were there throughout the night, I would like to say thank you. You are doing your civic duty, and showing that you support the college. For those of you that did not attend, I ask why? The debate started at 9:00 pm, and Eagen and Braude began broadcasting at 10:30 pm. Classes were over for the night, clubs were over for the night, and, for the most part, work study was over. This was not just another open mic night, or a CAB sponsored comedian. This is your life. This is your civic duty. This is what college is about. But on Tuesday night, students chose to ignore these things.