BlogHer - Research, Academia & Education - Comments

You have got to be kidding me

sassymonkey — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:20:30 -0600

What the heck does one's BMI have to do with their ability to obtain a BA? Last time I checked my degree was obtained because the the merit of my work and they only part of my body they were concerned about was my brain.

And what about people whose BMI is outside the healthy range on the other end? People whose BMI classifies them as underweight? Or is that acceptable because society glamourizes thinness? It's fair to note if that if my school had BMI requirements that did not allow one to have a BMI that put one "underweight" I'd have been screwed. I didn't reach a "normal" BMI until 6-7 years after graduation.

And what about the fact that BMI can be a total crock? I know that someone wrote here on BlogHer how BMI doesn't always accurately portray how healthy someone is. Give me some more time and some more coffee and and I'll find it.

You've got me all fired up on a Monday morning Leslie. Good job! lol

Sassymonkey and Sassymonkey Reads.

Well, that's crazy

Blue Morpho — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:38:59 -0600

I agree completely for the call for Universities to put their money where their mouth is, literally, in getting quality food into the cafeterias/dorm systems. Also, as you note "there are mental health issues tied up with physical education, obesity, weight, and fitness." Simply knowing how to eat or exercise does not guarantee fitness (assuming anyone can agree on what that is.) Other, more workable ideas might include having all students take a free class that not only talks about good health habits physically, but addresses the related mental illnesses, how to get help for them, and then includes education on how the media is warping our ideas of too fat/too thin. I could go on. There are so many better ways they could have approached this ...

Adventures in Anxiety Land - http://www.anxietyland.blogspot.com

Students' weight is none of their business

Kelly Logan — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:47:07 -0600

"Encouraging physical fitness is one thing; requiring it is another thing altogether" - exactly.

Kelly

I blog about how to lose weight slowly and safely

This is completely

Sierra Black — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:20:32 -0600

This is completely appalling. I just did an article for Strollerderby about Fat Pride and health reform, and many commenters weighed in to talk about being healthy and overweight.

I would not even consider allowing my kids to go to a college that would weigh them at the door.

Sierra Black - embracing the wild heart of parenting at www.childwild.com

understanding the others ways

Vita lingus — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:14:28 -0600

Yes like our ex prime minister refusing to apologise to the stolen generation...Appalling and remarkably thoughtless and cruel......... Let alone the intervention in these communities, under the guise of caring for the children in these communities and

even though Kevin our current Prime Minister has now apolgised the intervention continues.... White anglo saxon society has stolen their culture their land their language .... Hideous and it is the case the world over ... Imperalism is alive and well in one form or another.. it is just becoming more mobile and complex as people try to redefine where they are connected to "PLACE"

What do we do?

Gwendolyn Hudson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:05:25 -0600

I don't know--there's got to be something. Me, my four kids, my daughter-in-law--all graduates. All of the people who have benefitted from this state supportrf rducation, who have contributed to the community--oh, hell, I'm just dithering, but we have to do something

Gwendolyn Hudson Lauterbach

Jenee and Gwendolyn,Thanks

Leslie Madsen Brooks — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:00:55 -0600

Jenee and Gwendolyn,

Thanks for your comments. I wonder what the role of UC alumni should be in advocating for current students. What might be most effective?

Gwendolyn, I love the metaphor of eating the seed corn.

Leslie

BlogHer Contributing Editor, Research and Academia
My blogs: The Clutter Museum, Museum Blogging, and The Multicultural Toybox

Devouring the Seed Corn

Gwendolyn Hudson — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:17:33 -0600

All of my four children graduated from UC campuses. So did I. One is finishing his PhD dissertation, one went on to get a master's degree from Yale. We all received an excellent and almost affordable education. Each young adult holds a good job, contributes to the community, and (not so incidentally) pays taxes. All in all I think California made a damn good investment.

When I said something to a co-worker about the 32% increase, her response was that the universities are nearly broke and kids have to learn they can go to school and not have all the perks of football games and dorm life.

Clearly her experience is very different from that of most of the young people I know, who work at jobs, go to classes, and graduate burdened with loans.

Destroying a remarkable system that has enriched our society in multiple ways--educated students who also attract businesses with high paying jobs, research within the universities and from those educated by the unversities, the effect of having a unversity nearby that may offer community classes, performances--

I've read that in the old days in China, when a farming family were near destitute they would leave their homes in the hopes of finding work. But the seed corn was left behind and no one, however starving, would touch the seed corn because to do so was to kill tomorrow and all hope.

We are devouring our seed corn.

Gwendolyn Hudson Lauterbach

Do Those In Charge Really Care?

Jenee D — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:32:24 -0600

I'm a UC alum and it makes sick to my stomach to see the cuts and fee hikes. I have family at CSUs and they're struggling to pay their tuiton. Education should be one of the last things sacraficed b/c who's going to lead the state and country if our youth aren't being educated?

The Medill Innocence Project

Expat Mum — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:46:59 -0600

The Medill Innocence Project has done great work in the past and should not be hampered from continuing their investigative journalism by questionable legal interpretations. However, knowing Judge Cannon personally, and knowing her to be a sensible, rational and respectful person, I was curious as to what could have caused her reaction.

I have to say I'm surprised lawyers from Sidley and Austin would have presented such a brief. From the very first sentence, it is subjective, unprofessional and yes, sarcastic. Perhaps the Northwestern party is fed up to the back teeth of the machinations taking place, but presenting such an editorialized brief was not a smart move and risked their case.

everytime I need a listening

midnightbliss — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:04:59 -0600

everytime I need a listening ear, words of wisdom, advice on minor and major decisions, I always feel comfortable to ask it from my bestfriend. I don't know how long we've been bestfriends but we've known each other almost 8 years ago and both of us has been a part of each other's choices and decisions in life. The most important thing is to have trust, honesty and acceptance of the consequences.

Gifts for Teachers

cmg1111 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:12:41 -0600

Thanks for having the guts to tell it like it is! I know a lot of parents (eg, above two comments) grate at the idea of giving a "practical" gift. But most of the teachers I spoke to while researching my article on choosing a gift for a teacher echoed your comments: it's not that they don't appreciate handmade gifts or sentimental gestures, but eventually it's just kitsch overload.

If it's not your style to give something practical like a gift card or office supplies, all teachers will appreciate a heartfelt thank you note (maybe on a handmade card?) -- it's certainly not about spending a lot of money; just about not wasting money on "apple for teacher" and similar kitsch that no one can use!

~Emily
Christmas Gifts for Teachers

PS: Be careful about giving edibles: some schools don't allow teachers to eat homemade foods they've been given as a gift.

I agree with Virginia

SarahButland — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:21:14 -0600

It's terrible that it takes the time and dedication of students to solve cases when it should be the justice system taking the time in the first place.

Thanks for reading, Sarah Butland www.SarahButland.com

An important case

Virginia DeBolt — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:00:25 -0600

but a sad indication of the state of the criminal justice system when journalism students are better at investigating that the investigators.

Virginia DeBolt
BlogHer Technology CE | Web Teacher | First 50 Words

Agree

rachelsmiller — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:14:11 -0600

If my job was facing a decrease in wages/salary it would be extremely arrogant of me to say that I should be expected to do less because my salary is less. These faculty members are still in the same role they have been in, their JD has not changed. So how would this decrease in work load enter their minds? Is this a faculty issue or a university culture issue? Who is allowing this mind set to even be an option?

Students are facing challenges all across the board (higher tuition costs, less loans and grants available, increased needs to work while in college, less faculty and staff due to budget cuts, less services due to budget cuts, etc). Students are pulling their share of the pain so why can't faculty do the same. We all have to chip in during this time and that doesn't mean doing less for less. More with less is a much better approach, which will in the end help the greater good.