Letters to the Editor

Textbook list would not help

To the Daily:

I'm writing in response to an Jan. 8 editorial ("Publicize publications"), which proposed that the University produce a textbook list for all courses offered at the University. Although this piece offered many nice ideas about the benefits of having an official University list of textbooks, it would be virtually impossible for such a list to be created.

The editorial claims that if the University made a book list available to the public, students would have extra time to shop for their books during semester breaks, be it at a bookstore near their houses or through the Internet - this way, students could avoid the book rush lines and hopefully find their books for less expensive prices.

First of all, the bookstores on campus have to wait for the professors to call in their textbook requests for every class they teach each term by a specific date. But as easy as this task might seem, many professors take their merry time in turning in their textbook requests, making it appear as if the bookstores are incompetent for not having the books in on time. If such a list were to be made, it would not be published until the books were already on their way to the campus bookstores, making the list completely useless. If students have complaints about their books being unavailable at the bookstores, they ought to blame their professors.

Bookstores surprisingly try to get the books in stock as quickly as possible. Also, the editorial mentions that this booklist would allow smaller bookstores in the area to sell textbooks and increase competition amongst the stores on campus, thus lowering book prices. If the Daily had any idea of the hassle selling college textbooks can be (i.e. professors who change their books each week, problems with publishers, etc), it would realize that no small, independent bookstore would want to deal with it.

Selling textbooks at a large university is not just a side business that a store picks up for the heck of it.

Nikki Rataj

LSA sophomore

Daily should not print 'fluff'

To the Daily:

As a faithful reader of the Daily, I have enjoyed its hard-hitting investigative journalism, in particular the daring acumen with which it attacked the scourge of binge drinking. But it is not unusual when there is a lack of salient events coming across the editor for the Daily to stoop to the fluff, the intellectual cheese puffs.

Thursday's claptrap about some sap getting waylaid in the airport is one such gem. I think the Daily can do better than relaying the story of how some student burned through batteries waiting for his airplane (doubtless, the weenie was cranking the Backstreet Boys or some derivation thereof).

In the future, let the poor guy save such anecdotes for the duller moments at his Bring Back New Coke Club meetings (note the irony). The Daily is compromising its editorial integrity by printing such tripe.

Matthew Weiler

LSA junior

Stereotypes of Greeks are 'unfounded'

To the Daily:

In response to overwhelming ignorance and imbecility of those who oppose my institution, I hereby call for an end to unsolicited Greek criticism.

It is understandable that all students who bear such strong distaste for fraternities and sororities be entitled to their own subjective opinions, regardless of how ridiculous or unfounded their ideas might be.

The fact remains that even the strongest carping of the Greek tradition is more based on scenes from "Animal House" and a few fuzzy memories of first-year kegger parties rather than direct experience by the individual.

Unfortunately, it is this proclivity of certain students, the tendency to stereotype and ostracize a particular segment of student society because arriving at true means of comprehension would simply be too difficult or time consuming, that directs the uneducated mind to a similar level of ignorance.

Contrary to belief expressed by some letter writers and otherwise, we Greeks are not all sponsored by our parents until the age of 30, we do not all dress the same, drink keg beer, and engage in lewd, insensible behavior (unless it happens to be Saturday night). And in no way will the fact that I am a member of Phi Sigma Kappa induce other Phi Sigs who currently dwell in the working world to offer me a job, regardless of my qualifications.

These ludicrous stereotypes, though amusing, have, to some extent, become synonymous with the Greek tradition and somehow have gained popular acceptance as fact.

Shame on those who would perpetuate such slander with only a few frat parties and a copy of "Animal House" to back up their arguments.

Such behavior is unacceptable with any other segment of student society, and Greek bashing does not exonerate an individual from providing a lucid, sensible argument.

I personally encourage everybody to ignore the hype (Cantor, police "stings") about the Greek system - the fact is that you don't know what it's all about until you've actually done it.

Damn proud.

David Hodge

LSA sophomore

01-12-99