Losing a Title?

Title IX gives a voice to those who may feel silenced by stigma.  It’s our right to feel safe and healthy.

Well, the current administration has one thing that’s convenient for me: there always seems like new things to talk about. And by talk about, I mean critique.

The latest news coming from the White House is specifically involving the Department of Education, where Betsy DeVos has announced her intentions to rescind current Title IX guidelines.

So what does this mean, especially for college students? Most of us are lucky enough to only know the name “Title IX” from the required online courses every semester. Or going to a freshman orientation and watching the same viral video comparing sexual assault to drinking tea. If it were me, the only thing I would change about our current system to make the online training much more inclusive, but that’s beside the point.

Title IX is the key to identifying and condemning sexual harassment and assault. It is a broad tool enforcing equality not only for male and female athletes, but also for all students, including transgender and parenting students. Rather than allowing crimes to occur without a true means of legal consequence, now the process for reporting sexual assault is much more transparent.

But based on DeVos’s views, these rights are not a priority. Their funding is not necessary, translating to say that students’ safety and well-being is not necessary. If we want to get down to the simplest of terms, let’s look back at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Our human need for growth and knowledge, or self-actualization, is the very point of the pyramid. We psychologically are not prepared to meet that need if our more basic ones are not met, and one of the most important of those is safety and security. If we cannot walk across campus and attend classes without always feeling on-edge, we really shouldn’t even be pursuing an education, not without somebody taking action.

While DeVos’s decision would not immediately go into effect for every public university in the country, the mentality she presents will inevitably trickle down to individual communities and university administrations. If the head of our nation’s education doesn’t find Title IX important, then why should we?

We would be putting our students’ health at risk. Sexual assault is much more than a drunken encounter, a scenario we can just push under a rug and pretend that it isn’t there. The short- and long-term effects of sexual assault can harm a victim’s mind and body. Besides the risk of potentially contracting STDs or becoming pregnant, the mental health concerns can endure for even longer. Post traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety are all very common in survivors. They might even resort to coping mechanisms like substance abuse and self-harm to release their negative emotions.

I hesitate using the word “victim” in this scenario because as someone who has luckily never experienced this trauma, I think the strength and resilience required to keep moving forward past the experience and reporting the crime speaks volumes. If student rights are cut back, what justice are we serving these individuals? The progress that we’ve made to bring greater awareness to this growing issue is at stake. We cannot afford to move backwards.

The Department of Justice reports a quarter of undergraduate females will face some fork of sexual assault. The ACLU says only five percent of campus rape cases are actually reported. Many programs and assumptions we make about sexual assault is female-oriented, which makes sense with the overwhelming majority of statistics, but we leave men and transgender people out of the loop. These demographics probably face the most pressure to remain silent due to the stigma surrounding such reports. They fear not having others believe them when we assume men are known to be more dominated, more sexual.

My focus thus far has been on college campuses just because it’s such a frequent concern, but Title IX affects all levels of education. From elementary school to post-graduate programs, we have the right to call out any sex-based discrimination. Every school must have a Title IX policy and coordinator on staff to ensure this right. We must informed of our right and receive information as to how to handle and report sex discrimination. We deserve to know that information and to have it easily accessible. Especially for someone overwhelmed and distraught over a traumatic experience, chances are if they don’t know what to do from there, how often do you think they’ll hunt it out?

Sure, the actual number of instances of campus sexual assault have dropped over recent years, but that doesn’t mean that we understand it any better, or that our work is done. I see the progress as encouragement to keep doing what we’re doing. Education doesn’t occur in a bubble or vacuum, but in an environment we as citizens must make safe for all. To think of creating more ignorance surrounding sex discrimination, especially in the world of academia…it is simply contradictory.

We cannot stay silent. We must speak up for ourselves and everyone, letting our government and schools know what we the people want and need. A pursuit of happiness and knowledge is not possible without basic security.

Take care, and keep the faith. -Allie

How to Improve Your (Systemic) Grades

One wouldn’t think being in Canada is much different than the States. The college experience should be fairly similar, and the classes themselves shouldn’t be too much to adjust to.

While studying at Bishop’s University, I expected similar class formats and assignments like my past three semesters in South Dakota. Luckily, I am very familiar with writing papers and a typical lecture format. However, compared to most of my previous classes, the only grades on most of my syllabuses are a single term paper, a midterm, and a final.

With so few assignments weighing upon passing each course, the minimal workload leads to questions of the value of grades themselves. How important is a college GPA, especially after throwing a mortarboard in the air? Should students care more or less about the letters on their transcripts? Students should do their best in their work, but all colleges should emphasize the value of learning over traditional grading standards.

Grades are very arbitrary measurements of success. An A at one school in one location may look drastically different somewhere else. Over time, public universities have seen a grade inflation, giving higher grades for work that would’ve received lower grades in the past. This makes it more difficult to identify the best students since more people are given the highest possible grade. In fact, according to a recent study by the Teachers College Record, 43% of letter grades given are A’s. Less work and effort is now worthy of higher grades, demonstrating how slippery the grading slope can be. When colleges portray a GPA as a crucial measurement of success, students become stressed and deprioritize their mental health and moral values. Stanford News reported that cheating is closely linked to the social pressure put on students to prize high grades over education and other values, including creativity and their personal well-being. Education has become a competition fueled by stress and anxiety derived from a short-sighted fascination with graded achievement.

If the primary grading system higher education uses is so subjective, many people may question the value of even paying the hefty costs of tuition. College itself isn’t mandatory. People choose to invest their time and money toward a degree. Such expenses lead many to question the value of a college education altogether. According to Collegeboard, the most popular reasons for obtaining a college degree are to get a good education and to get a good job after graduation. Does that degree still have value and fulfill these purposes? TIME Magazine says that 65% of college alumni agreed their educations were worth the cost despite the growing popularity of technical institutions and online degree programs. The campus environment exposes students to new ideas and people that can help them expand their resumes. Different activities, volunteer and outreach programs, job fairs, and, appropriately, studying abroad all make attending a four-year institution worth it.

Choosing to attend college isn’t the problem here: the problem comes from placing higher importance on a flimsy means of judgment over hard work and learning. Grading serves as an evaluation of student work and a source of motivation to students for continued learning and improvement. Jeanetta Jones Miller’s research discusses  standard-based grading with a student-centered approach. This concept concentrates on students’ learning over individual assignments. When the goal is mastery of standards, it doesn’t matter that students might not complete exactly the same assignments or exactly the same number of assignments because the focus is on what the student is learning rather than how much the student is doing. Not everybody fits into a cookie-cutter system of evaluating progress. By giving students the freedom to make learning an experience that is individualized to them, they can gain greater benefits from discovering new knowledge and strengthening their work ethic necessary for all aspects of life.

Students’ concerns should be less focused on their grades beyond passing and doing well and look ahead to the future. According to USA Today, employers more often look at students’ job experience over their transcript. Networking is also very important. A 4.0 student with no connections within their desired field may struggle finding employment. Ultimately, employers want to see students who are involved on campus and in their community and have an internship or two under their belts. However, employers’ values vary across the field. Some may argue, as seen in US News, that a strong GPA indicates a potential employee who can handle pressure, learns quickly and is motivated to succeed. Additionally, earning a college degree is an exercise in delayed gratification, and students with higher GPAs have demonstrated that they can maintain a high level of focus and results over that time before they receive their payoff.

Students are defined by so much more than a letter or number. The plethora of factors that may determine one’s success in the job market far exceeds a digit on a transcript. Learning to adapt to limited assignments has been a challenge, but this difference between Canada and my home campus, along with a different grading scale altogether, suggests a new way of judging academic performance. All higher education must reemphasize the power of knowledge and the relationships made with peers and faculty that truly support students’ goals and encourage values that transcend the classroom.

Take care, and keep the faith. -Allie

Quiet Student Revolution

I have read Susan Cain’s Quiet. I have come to really appreciate my introverted personality, quirks and all. But unfortunately, some people and places do not acknowledge or appreciate those who prefer a little peace and quiet. Temperament levels range on a scale originally designed by Carl Jung for those who get energy from external or internal sources. According to World University Rankings, anywhere from one third to one half of all people are more introverted.

I chose Bishop’s University truly on a whim. Never had I been to Canada or have ever seen the campus until I flew across the border. After a month of living and studying, I can say that I made a great choice, but I do have some setbacks that I didn’t initially consider.

The college life in general is one not built originally for introverted personalities. With college, one assumes it means having an active social life with parties on a regular basis, always being surrounded by others in class and meal times, and encouraging everyone to get involved with student life and organizations on campus.

Education in general is geared toward, as Cain calls it, the “Extrovert Ideal.” An overused term like “active learning” has become a modern mantra. Students must ask questions, express opinions, lead oral presentations and participate enthusiastically in community projects. Passivity, on the other hand, is considered the enemy of learning. Students must be vocal, expressive and assertive.

While I believe there is a time and place for everyone, no matter your individual comfort level, to brave difficult situations to enjoy as many opportunities as possible, colleges should be more accommodating to its more introverted personalities. If students need a push in a certain direction, offer them help and guidance, but do not push somebody who is comfortable as they are.

At Bishop’s, the main dining hall has entirely long communal tables, no actual spots for somebody to just sit by themselves, especially for someone who might use those spare moments to breathe and recharge. The academic buildings offer no real places for students to sit, unless you enjoy sitting in a hallway. The only true places with seating to relax or study are main dining areas and the library, which at this point is a random shack at the end of campus while the original building is remodeled, so not exactly convenient. While I don’t enjoy always having to go back to my room to collect my thoughts, I really have no other options.

Another big aspect I’ve noticed, at least with my roommates, are active social lives, many evenings going out to the student bar for drinks. Trust me, I tried it once with an open mind, and I wanted to leave immediately. Can’t keep up any meaningful conversation, and the music played wasn’t even good. I revert back to my anxieties first starting college as a freshman, feeling like I was “doing college wrong” because I didn’t enjoy partaking in the stereotypical activities, but as I and others keep reminding me, if you’re happy, it doesn’t matter.

People of any temperament can flourish in a wide variety of settings, but something Susan Cain mentions is the importance of having more than just one student body “identity” to strive for, which, being this is a small and tight-knit campus, seems unavoidable. Campuses that offer many different activities allow for more spaces for introverts to feel comfortable and “find their niche.” That’s what I did at my home campus, and while it took me a solid year, I feel like I found that unique place for myself. In a condensed time at this host campus, that is much more difficult to create.

Even classroom settings can make a huge difference. As mentioned by USA Today’s College edition, for colleges with smaller class sizes, participation is required, usually weighing from 10-15% of students’ final grades. Most extroverts basically receive free points for volunteering since their minds work best when speaking to think through ideas.

Introverts tend to form ideas differently because they must listen and process information entirely before speaking. Their lack of immediate participation causes professors and peers to believe they have nothing significant to add or are not paying attention. While situations requiring students to speak up for themselves and work in group settings are important, classes that offer a variety of ways to earn points and complete classwork help give every personality a chance to shine. According to Mary Reda in her book, Between Speaking and Silence: A Study of Quiet Students, and an article from the Chronicle for Higher Education, listening and reflective introspection need to be understood as legitimate forms of class participation. Silence is just as likely as talking to indicate an engagement with the ideas of others.

Something else intimidating is dorm life. Through different camps and my first year of college, I have had enough of that situation, sharing such close quarters and always feeling exposure to another person’s energy, no matter how minuscule, is draining. Last semester I realized how much I thrived in a single room. It gave me the space I craved to escape after a long day of classes and work and allowed me to build my own sanctuary for others to comfortably visit. While there is a wall and two distinct spaces in this dorm room at Bishop’s, I still feel the effects of not fully being able to unwind unless my roommate isn’t here. She’s nice enough, but unless I’m very close with somebody, it can feel like I’m always running on half a tank of energy.

Ultimately, when colleges elevate extrovert traits, the result is that many students’ potential is stifled, and they fail to realize the true value of developing the introverted side of their personalities. There are pros and cons to extroversion and introversion, and we need to celebrate them both. Just as we respect diversity of religion and ethnicity, we must respect diversity in our personalities.

Take care, and keep the faith. -Allie