Letters

Registrar using students as guinea pigs

Editor:

Upon learning of the change in how grades will be made available to students I'd like to express my opinion on two issues. First, in regards to the change itself, I must concur with Mrs. Leader and Ida in their statements about techno-dependency's pitfalls and issue of putting the initiative on the student to obtain their grades in the traditonal hard-copy manner. Students have enough to worry about already and can do without yet another administrative process/hinderance.

However, the substantive issue which concerns me here is why are we (the students) being volunteered as guinea pigs for the registrar's experiments? I don't recall ever being notified or petitioned about the change, and furthermore it seems that more could be accomplished here with one simple change: by allowing the students who do wish to switch over to the new system to volunteer, and letting the rest of us paranoid Luddites remain in the past for the time being, at least until we are convinced of the new system's efficacy and reliability.

Not only would this allow a transition period with which the registrar could assess the new system's strengths and weaknesses for future refinement, but it would also allow the students to have the security of traditional reports without burdening them with more administrative procedure. Most importantly, we students also need to feel that we have a voice in our own affairs. We pay good money to keep this institution rolling along, and we do deserve an equal voice in the decisions of administration.

From past experience, we know that abrupt shifts from paper-based info to techno-based info often require refinement after initial trials. To subject those of us at the UA who pay the registrar's salary to its consequences without granting us the opportunity to voice our concern is undemocratic and not conducive to fostering an environment where students can feel confident in their administration's ability to serve them in a fair and responsive manner.

The new registrar's duty is to instill this trust by showing faith in the student body's right to have a vote in matters which effect us all, but whose consequences we alone must bear. I believe a vote or hearing on the matter is in order before a commitment is made, and that can only be made possible through efforts to listen.

Justin Ruggieri
Law Student, 1st year

Rattlers deserve attention

Dear Daily Wildcat:

I just want to say "thank you" for including the Rattler's Arena Bowl victory in Tuesdays edition of the Wildcat. I was fortunate to be present at the game and it was probably the best time I have ever had!

I have had season tickets for the past five years and it depresses me that the Rattlers are the only professional team in Arizona to bring home not one, but two world championships, but yet all the hoopla goes to the Suns and the future Diamondbacks. Even though a majority of the people on campus, or Tucson for that matter, have no idea what Arenaball is, I just wanted to say thanks for the recognition of the Rattlers!

Sincerely,
Christine A. Scott