July 10, 2003

La Salle

Update...
We were allowed to play past 10:00PM tonight - until 11:30 in fact. This is without the intervention of the administration that we worked on during the day today. It was incredible - finally another chance to get better, and I really was feeling it tonight.

Updates to follow, however, most of the bitterness is gone. However, this was all written prior to the games, so I'm finishing it and posting it anyhow. I'm feeling a lot better: hitting that ball around really does relieve stress and bitterness.

To expand on my last post...

I really love La Salle. Theres a sense of community here that I don't feel anywhere else. That community is self-imposed, but not by any entity, or any group, organization, clique, subset or club: its inherent, I believe in the traditions and heritage of the school. There are some things that always and forever be, no matter how much any entity may work against them. La Salle has an attitude: take this and live with it, or leave it. Only through taking it can you change it.

That being said, I have problems with a lot of administrative details about the school...


  • I don't understand why the good people are persecuted for the good that they do for the school. This takes the form of us being shoo'ed from the tennis courts, or from good people/groups who lose their jobs/status/power/responsibilty because their methods are uncouth. Don't ask me for specific examples: but if you've taken La Salle for what it is, you can think of an example. Or Two. Or Three.

  • I don't understand why I feel so powerless as an undergraduate student when I should feel I have the highest amount of potential to change the university. I don't want to change the mission or the faculty or fire anyone; I just want to be able to feel valued and respected and not just as another hassle to an administrator sitting at a computer.

  • I don't understand why admissions won't stop admitting students even though we're straining at capacity (I know, this is a cheap shot...) I also don't understand why we can't get accurate counts until Opening Weekend.

  • I don't understand why good people decide to uphold bad policies. I firmly believe that the people in power here feel some of what I believe in about this school, and are honestly and with their heart trying to make it a better place. But somewhere along the line communication gets bungled.

  • I don't understand why the administration feels the need to lie to students. Or, not exactly lying, but not giving sufficient reasons for decisions made. You know what? If you don't have a reason for me, take some time and invent one. Something plausible, perhaps, or not - give me a good fantasy. I can't move into my townhouse when I want to because theres an orgy going on and they don't want to clean up afterwards. I see. I can't rent out the Hayman Center because the cryogenic facility used to store Walt Disney is underneath center court? I understand. The Masque can't do "Burn This" because the Provost's first cousin is a pyrophobiac (fears fire)? Thats a damn good reason.
  • and finally...

  • I don't understand why good students don't try and make this place better in place of their complaining. Put your actions where your mouth is and help out.
    Please know that none of these things are directly influenced by anything specific to my life right now, they're merely broad generalizations about what I've seen and felt over the last four years.

    [Listening to: New York City Serenade - Bruce Springsteen - The Wild, The Innocent & The E Steet Shuffle (09:55)]
    This post brought to you by the First Amendment. Use it while its still the law of the land. Posted by Matthew at July 10, 2003 12:35 AM
Comments

I like that post about people at lasalle losing their jobs because of the shit that goes on and the huge egos involved. I would have to support that, as I resigned before I was going to be fired, and I have the letter to prove it. I'm never going to forget that one. If I ever come back there, I am going to be a force to contend with, and things WILL change.

Posted by: Erin on July 12, 2003 11:13 PM

I like that post about people at lasalle losing their jobs because of the shit that goes on and the huge egos involved. I would have to support that, as I resigned before I was going to be fired, and I have the letter to prove it. I'm never going to forget that one. If I ever come back there, I am going to be a force to contend with, and things WILL change.

Posted by: Erin on July 12, 2003 11:31 PM

Nice. I hate La Salle. Maybe I can get a job there. God bless you Matt Demizio!

Posted by: Brian P. Veitz on July 13, 2003 10:42 PM
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