Column was a disservice to YSU, its faculty and students

Column was a disservice to YSU, its faculty and students
EDITOR:
Habitually, the first thing I read in the Sunday Vindicator is Bertram de Souza's column on the editorial page. I greatly admire the customary focus, perception, articulate style of writing, and the wonderful sense of humor he brings to these weekly columns, and I usually find myself in agreement with his viewpoint. The Aug. 28 column, however, does a great disservice both to Youngstown State University and to the dedicated faculty and students who are some of its most vital constituents. As this is being written, the acrimonious strikes of the YSU faculty and its classified employees apparently are settled, certainly not with total accord by all involved, but with sufficient agreement that the university has been able to open as scheduled and go about its very significant business.
My principal disagreement with Mr. de Souza is the manner in which he characterizes YSU. As a retired (Jan. 1, 2003) full-time faculty member who proudly served this institution for some 42 years, I have always been aware that my university was not an Ivy League school populated by the most privileged of students. At the same time, I take issue with Mr. de Souza's implication that it is less than "top-tier & quot; or even worse because it has a policy of open admission, emphasizes undergraduate education, and has students attending who "by and large, are aiming to get a leg up in the working world by having a college diploma. & quot; He further states that "comparatively few consider post-graduate studies essential to their economic well-being. & quot;
I believe Mr. de Souza would be rather surprised if he had researched his broad assumptions a bit more carefully, particularly the post-baccalaureate careers of YSU's students. Certainly the majority of students I have mentored over the years have gone on to graduate school and entered the professional world with advanced graduate degrees as productive performers, teachers, and scholars, even though they began their college life in a less than "top-tier institution of higher learning. & quot;
Mr. de Souza obviously is free to grill and skewer YSU's president, its board of trustees, faculty, and classified workers for their recent actions which he deems inappropriate. However, why not lay the blame where it most rightfully belongs, at the feet of the current governor and the state legislature for inadequate funding of higher education? He communicates the perception that YSU is an institution where students receive an inferior education because they are instructed by a less than & quot;top-tier & quot; faculty. I am personally offended by such an attitude, as I am sure my faculty colleagues and current and former students must also be.
Youngstown State University is one of the great treasures of this area, and it represents the key element to whatever success Youngstown's downtown and Smoky Hollow redevelopment might hope to create. To cast it in the light which Sunday's column by Mr. de Souza conveys is a distortion of facts and a misrepresentation of the real mission of this most vital institution of higher learning.
RONALD L. GOULD
Professor emeritus, Music, YSU
Youngstown
Qualities voters should want in school board candidates
EDITOR:
As a former superintendent of schools I couldn't help but notice that several long time incumbents have chosen not to run for re-election to boards of education. Among these are such notables as Beverly Hoagland from Lakeview, Nick Bernard of Niles, John Lallo of Liberty, and Fred Davis of Boardman. These people are to be thanked and congratulated for their many years of service to their communities, and for the time they have devoted to the children of their respective school districts.
As election time draws nearer I would like to offer a few suggestions to Mahoning Valley taxpayers when choosing new board members. In this period of tough economic times it is important to choose people who have no self interests in mind while running for office and will make it a point to represent everyone.
First of all, vote for the candidate who is not running with a vendetta. A school board member must be objective and not have a single negative purpose in mind when conducting a campaign.
Secondly, choose someone who appears to have "some" understanding of school finance. The school funding issue is a big one. It is not likely to go away in the near future. Local support for schools at some level will always be needed. Don't look to Columbus to solve your local problems -- it just won't happen. And don't believe anyone who tells you that this is the only solution.
Thirdly, don't elect a person who only has the interests of his (or her) children in mind. A board member must make decisions that are for the good of all students -- not just a select few. (It goes without saying that the candidate's children should attend the local schools.)
Fourth, elect board members with courage. Sometimes board members want to please everyone. They adopt a "shop steward" attitude and think that they can solve all problems -- often by a half-truth or a promise that is not for the good of the school district. A real leader knows that at times the appropriate answer is no.
Finally, never forget that your public schools are your communities' greatest assets. Protect them by electing positive board members who share that point of view.
Dr. MATTHEW CHOJNACKI
Cortland
Now those who don't parrot the party line are terrorists
EDITOR:
Let's hear it for the conservatives who feel that the media has to be grouped with terrorists.
The letter published last Sunday was another example of how this group wants to trample on the Constitution. I'm not sure what constitution they were raised under, but the one I learned about guarantees freedom of the press. Remember Tass and Pravda (The official Soviet publications)? Is that what the person who called the media terrorists wants this country to put out? If our leadership is wrong , it is the obligation of the media to report it. It is the Bush administration that wants the country to think there are no problems facing our nation; unfortunately, we all know better. We have all heard of journalists being thrown into jail for not naming their sources. Is that not an indication of how seriously members of the media take their profession?
I am a veteran and will continue to support our troops in all their missions.
Exercising our freedom to protest does not mean we are unpatriotic. In fact, protesting is an obligation we as Americans must take. It can be in the way of writing to the media, our leaders, etc., or just voting. Yes, voting is a form of protest. I sure hope the conservatives in this country don't try to stomp on that right next.
LARRY TROPEPE
Canfield