Spring Break
Bacc Core bore needs a change
Issue date: 5/13/09 Section: Forum
If you're like us, you probably gave a big sigh of "I don't care" to the e-mail about the OSU Bacc Core Review Committee that was sent out Monday.
However, our overwhelming apathy on the subject matter made us wonder why we are so uncaring - and this fact woke us up a little bit.
We realized that Bacc Core kind of sucks, and for that reason, maybe it does need some help after all.
We're not here to release our frustrations on the graduation requirements, but we do want to take this opportunity to take a critical look at them and voice our opinions. There's a possibility that the committee - and you, the student body - could use this survey.
So, dear committee-in-the-making, we have some questions for you.
It's a mystery how something as carefully crafted as the Bacc Core could possibly be one of the greatest source of confusion for students come registration time.
Did that psychology class count for Bacc Core, or was it Liberal Arts Core? Can you count it for multiple requirements under the Bacc Core, or do you have to take more classes? What happens if it's in your major?
The questions go on and on, but the answers are unclear.
We also wonder why juniors and seniors, finally able to find focus in their lives in the latter part of their undergraduate education, are stuck taking upper division - or worse - lower division Bacc Core classes that they just S/U and sleep through. Is this helping their education? We think not.
Why does the Bacc Core force us to have to take the most crowded classes offered at OSU? Many are ridiculously easy. Some topics covered even overlap with classes we've already taken.
We're not knocking the "core" altogether; it has a few strong points.
First-year students really reap the benefits of the Bacc Core before they declare a major, or even after they declare a major.
It gives them the opportunity to look into a variety of subject areas and still earn credit toward graduation.
These opportunities provided to first- and second-year students at OSU aside, we feel that in its current state, the Bacc Core is a hindrance to many older students who are trying to focus on their college careers and graduation.
With economic freak-outs happening on a daily basis, maybe the university should look to the Bacc Core as a place where it can make cuts without causing a ruckus.
The bottom line is that if OSU is going to change the Bacc Core, we recommend it be more simple and interfere less with our success at the end of our college careers.
We'll be grateful, and maybe we'll stop yawning so much.
Editorials serve as a platform for Barometer editors to offer commentary and opinions on issues both global and local, grand in scale and diminutive. The views expressed here are a reflection of the editorial board majority. Disagree? E-mail a letter to the editor or guest column to forum@dailybarometer.com.
However, our overwhelming apathy on the subject matter made us wonder why we are so uncaring - and this fact woke us up a little bit.
We realized that Bacc Core kind of sucks, and for that reason, maybe it does need some help after all.
We're not here to release our frustrations on the graduation requirements, but we do want to take this opportunity to take a critical look at them and voice our opinions. There's a possibility that the committee - and you, the student body - could use this survey.
So, dear committee-in-the-making, we have some questions for you.
It's a mystery how something as carefully crafted as the Bacc Core could possibly be one of the greatest source of confusion for students come registration time.
Did that psychology class count for Bacc Core, or was it Liberal Arts Core? Can you count it for multiple requirements under the Bacc Core, or do you have to take more classes? What happens if it's in your major?
The questions go on and on, but the answers are unclear.
We also wonder why juniors and seniors, finally able to find focus in their lives in the latter part of their undergraduate education, are stuck taking upper division - or worse - lower division Bacc Core classes that they just S/U and sleep through. Is this helping their education? We think not.
Why does the Bacc Core force us to have to take the most crowded classes offered at OSU? Many are ridiculously easy. Some topics covered even overlap with classes we've already taken.
We're not knocking the "core" altogether; it has a few strong points.
First-year students really reap the benefits of the Bacc Core before they declare a major, or even after they declare a major.
It gives them the opportunity to look into a variety of subject areas and still earn credit toward graduation.
These opportunities provided to first- and second-year students at OSU aside, we feel that in its current state, the Bacc Core is a hindrance to many older students who are trying to focus on their college careers and graduation.
With economic freak-outs happening on a daily basis, maybe the university should look to the Bacc Core as a place where it can make cuts without causing a ruckus.
The bottom line is that if OSU is going to change the Bacc Core, we recommend it be more simple and interfere less with our success at the end of our college careers.
We'll be grateful, and maybe we'll stop yawning so much.
Editorials serve as a platform for Barometer editors to offer commentary and opinions on issues both global and local, grand in scale and diminutive. The views expressed here are a reflection of the editorial board majority. Disagree? E-mail a letter to the editor or guest column to forum@dailybarometer.com.
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