Dear Editor:
We recently visited our daughter on campus and picked up a copy of your April 1 issue. It was very amusing, with the stories about renaming the campus and the FBI raid, but the most hilarious article was the one entitled "AU named a 'best value' university." Stokely Baksh certainly had her tongue in cheek to actually put in quotes from The Princeton Review. Taking into consideration that upper-class students still have to take Gen Ed classes because there are not enough spots for them to enroll in their first two years, the cost of the meal plan when the food does not receive good reviews, how tuition and other costs keep increasing but financial aid doesn't, how courses listed have not been offered for years in a row because proper faculty can't be found, how special dispensation has to be obtained to get into courses in one's major because of limited class size, that the library has to resort to a separate fundraiser to try to improve its collection, and other similar "values" makes the article that much more uproarious.
Keep up the good work. Maybe you can do an article next year on how the president is justified in receiving a 17 percent raise.
John Fox Parent '06
Dear Editor:
Thank you for your coverage of the ongoing improvements in the Student Health Center and your shared enthusiasm for our relocation to McCabe Hall next spring. As your editorial noted, our shift from a walk-in model to appointments is an important cornerstone in improving service. It is important, however, to clarify that we communicated the change through more channels than the editorial suggests.
Besides announcements on Today@AU, the health center had an outgoing message on its telephone system for 10 days prior to the change. The Web site was updated in advance of the transition, and information was available in the health center. I am grateful to the Resident Directors for their help in getting information out to Resident Assistants so that residence hall students were informed, and Office of Campus Life departments received the information and were instrumental in distributing it to list-servs and affiliated organizations.
The foundation of good medical care is the relationship between the provider and patient, and in order to devote the time and attention that each student deserves, providers see students primarily by appointment. Urgent, walk-in medical problems are evaluated immediately, and we have implemented protocols for acute illness and injury. Although most student health centers operate on an appointment basis, it is a new system for AU, and transitions are rarely painless. It is important to me that the health center interacts effectively and compassionately with students on this issue.
Factors including student feedback and increased demand on health center resources contributed to my decision to implement open access now. To respond to escalating demand and not erode service, it was important to implement this semester. Open access ultimately allows us to better serve the demand surge that we expect around finals. Students can find further information about appointment scheduling at www.american.edu/ocl/healthcenter.
Bethany Chiaramonte Director, Student Health Center
Dear Editor:
I am writing because I am upset over the injustice that The Eagle has done to the Vanilla Ice concert in the Tavern, which was put on by Eagle Nights. The Tavern was obviously packed, no matter what the actual number in attendance was, and the amount of work that went into the show was evident. Eagle Nights clearly put a lot of time and effort into making the evening a memorable one. As for "Ice" himself, you, The Eagle, called him "washed-up." While he obviously is not at the level that he once was, he put on an entertaining show and had a lot of great interaction with the audience. Also, he took the time to sign autographs and take pictures, and, importantly, he was nice. I don't think enough credit was given to this event, and not enough people were recognized for the work it took to set the whole thing up. Not to mention it was FREE. Maybe you should reconsider what issues and events you deem worthy of article space, because the Vanilla Ice concert definitely deserved more.
Emily Rotella Sophomore, CAS
