(-- The Beacon)
By Bruce Garling-house, Staff Commentary
You are not that special.
Don't feel bad, I'm not that special either.
At least, not in the eyes of this University's administration.
Last week, The Beacon and The Log staffs were notified they would be moving from their offices in St. Mary's Student Center to make room for Campus Ministry.
The Beacon and its 30-person student staff will move into the Log's 400-square-foot office and the Log will move to the back of St. Mary's, requiring its staff to pass through two locked doors to get into the office.
A four person staff of full-time non-students for Campus Ministry will move in and enjoy renovations The Beacon has been requesting for years, and in doing so, the work of all of the students on The Beacon and The Log will be compromised.
There was no discussion, no constructive dialogue, no compromise, no productive brainstorming, just a decision.
This is not a commentary on the integrity of Campus Ministry. They have been shafted as well, being stuck in the basement of Mehling and Kenna for the past two years. And while I do not believe they need a 1,100-square-foot space after they requested only 600 square feet, I won't be a hater.
It is instead a commentary on the University's inability to cash in on its promises.
Residence halls are over filled. The food here is over priced. Students sometimes wait days to get an appointment in the Health Center.
On the surface it seems this most recent decision only affects the students who work for The Beacon and The Log, but it is much more far-reaching than that.
The University has decided to hinder a service meant for you.
The ability to provide, as well as receive, news is a privilege. If that ability is compromised you are not only being done a disservice, but the University is sending a clear message that service is not considered a priority.
A yearbook is a snapshot of the four years spent on this campus and you deserve to have it come out clear, not blurry.
And I now have one question for some of the men and women that claim to provide "a diverse community of scholars dedicated to excellence and innovation" as stated in the University's mission statement.
When I look at the snapshot of my four years here at the University of Portland, will I like what I see?
