As I sat down and began to brainstorm about my given assignment for Honors Seminar, I began to realize just how thought provoking this assignment would be. A rush of ideas infiltrated my brain, but few stood out amongst the rubbish my mind had generated as well. The adjustments I would facilitate for the university include: a twenty-four hour cafeteria, introducing a Starbucks to the campus, the encouragement of intercollegiate academic and performance based competitions, and “tinker” with the possibility of reallocating funds.
Often times I find myself getting lost in my work during the day, losing track of hours and eating times. If you don’t catch the cafeteria at its particular operating hours, you’re out of luck. If a student finds himself in need of a midnight energy boost (snack) to help finish out his assignment, he can’t attain it due to the cafeteria closing around 9 P.M. If the cafeteria began operating on a 24-hour time schedule several positive effects and improvements would take place. With students no longer enduring “hungry hours”, morale would increase as well as disposition amongst students living on campus. Grades would also improve due to the change in the students’ disposition and ability to obtain food in the wee hours of the night, when several students either cram for an exam or put the finishing touches on major essays and term papers. Another reason I would find myself working towards creating a 24-hour schedule for the cafeteria would be offering a greater convenience to the students. Although I do realize that creating a cafeteria that operates 24 hours a day may not be extremely cost effective, the university would be implementing a program that benefits the students, not just the pocket book of the university.
Howard Schultz said it best when he said, “Starbucks represents something beyond a cup of coffee.” Starbucks represents the beginning of a wonderful day, it represents opportunity, and better yet, makes people want to take and make the most out of the opportunities that come their way. I don’t know how the generations before mine view Starbucks, but I do know how my generation feels – we find Starbucks to be transcendent of the normal coffee shop. When we step up to the barista, we feel at ease. When we sit in the oversized somewhat contrite lounges, we feel at home. When we take that first sip of our tall latte, grande coffee, venti frappuccino or short cappuccino our hearts warm and smiles begin to take place of the dark abyss that used to reside on our faces. And if all of that does still not satisfy those who are doubtful, then consider the following items: caffeine and brand name. The students will pay for it, we could all use the energy and more importantly, we all would find the money to pay for it.
My high school career was driven by my desire to excel in various academic and performance based competitions. I achieved good grades and maintained high levels in participation at my high school because I was involved with so many competitive groups and organization, and this isn’t only true for me. Several studies have been released that support the concept; time and time again it’s been shown that those involved in some form of interschool competition consistently do better than their less active and involved counter parts and develop a much larger success rate. If I were the president of SAU, I would be doing my best to encourage the growth and development of intercollegiate academic and performance-based competitions, which would in turn, have a positive impact on my students and university.
The last thing I would do as SAU president would be to dabble and possibly reallocate some of the university's funds. It was recently reported in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that Southern Arkansas University derived 40 percent of its athletic budget from tuition and state support, a higher percentage that any other Arkansas, four-year university! Although I respect and adore the athletic programs SAU offers and the successes they bring to our school, I do not fully support such budgetary means and allocations. Southern Arkansas University could use part of this chunk of funding for several other items and programs and give some other students, who may be “talented” in a different way, an opportunity to bring acclaim and success to the university.
I realize that being President of any university cannot be an easy job, not with people constantly informing you of all the things you are doing “wrong” and having to make decisions that effect the whole university, but I’d like to think that my ideas hold some weight and offer concepts or ideas that may have been previously untouched or glanced over. Southern Arkansas University has a million opportunities and routes it could utilize to turn the school into a more enjoyable and sought out destination, I just hope it continues to progress and does not shy away form taking chances and creating programs that could benefit the university.
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