Speak Out A 01/30/02

Armpit solution

TO THE caller who said that art at SEMO and other areas is increasingly offensive: Maybe it is just your standard talking. If you do not like the art, don't look at it. I would wager that Bottecelli's "Birth of Venus" caused a few words back in its day, but now it is shown with great appreciation. I have no problem with you setting a standard for yourself, but please, do not try to discourage others from the pleasure art's many forms can bring to many people. The River Campus would help the university and the community. Maybe with some cultural arts, Southeast Missouri would not seem so much like the armpit of the nation.

Too far away

SEMO WORKS in strange ways, and I think the strangest idea has been the River Campus project. I do believe we need something better than what we have for the performing arts, but why so far away from the main campus? I think the individuals who are pushing this project own property near the projected site of the River Campus and think they can make a few dollars when that side of town supposedly is cleaned up. I also don't feel the students will be safe at the proposed River Campus since it is so far away and cut off from the rest of the campus.

A God-given right

COLLECTIVE bargaining is not a matter for debate. It is a God-given natural right for the world's working people.

Other kind of swelling

A SARCASTIC Speak Out comment referred to the Scott County jail as "so Swampeast Missouri it makes my heart swell with pride." The caller needs to be aware that such disparaging comments about Southeast Missouri could, if made publicly, have the effect of making ones head swell with pain.

Appropriate recognition

I READ the story on your Web site that Gary Rust won the Rush Limbaugh award and Shivelbine's music store won for best small business. I don't live in Cape Girardeau anymore, but two more appropriate winners could not have been made as far as I'm concerned. It's good to see that type of recognition go to such community-minded people.

Unnecessary increases

THE SATELLITE campuses have nothing to do with the explosion of administrative positions at SEMO. If the satellite campuses and the associated growth of students were such a burden, why has the number of faculty decreased? In two instances two academic administrative units were carved out of one. The College of Science and Technology became the College of Science and the Polytechnic Institute. The College of Liberal Arts became the College of Liberal Arts and the River Campus School. This is an unnecessary increase in administration without a commensurate increase in faculty or students majoring in associated programs. Assistant and associate vice presidents and vice provosts have sprung up like weeds. The full story will be shown when we see how many faculty and staff positions are cut or frozen, because of the university's current budget problems, relative to the number of administrative positions that are cut or frozen. Don't hold your breath, but stay tuned.

Nuisance notice

ONCE AGAIN my friend has received a nuisance notice from the city inspector. His neighbor is complaining because he has nothing better to do. His neighbor needs to look across the street from my friend's house where there are unlicensed junk cars on the lawn. My friend's neighbor has yet to get a complaint. Why is the city coming down on my friend? There is nothing in his yard. No trash, junk cars, pulled motors. Think it has anything to do with his neighbor and the city inspector being close friends? Enough is enough.

Fixed in time

THE CALLER was on the right track but didn't go far enough when he said Cape "has always been two years behind the rest of the world." It is more than that. Given the Orwellian nature of the community, it will always be 1984.