The recent graffiti all over campus left echoing thoughts in my head this morning as I headed to my final on Monday, and I’m sure they captivated your attention, too.

Each statement made on the different academic buildings has a background meaning that I really hope resonated with you. Below is my interpretation of them:

“#1 in Communication; Last in free speech”
Under Dean Lorraine Branham’s message on Newhouse’s website, it’s denoted that they “…welcome students who are curious about the world and who want to change it for the better through mass communications.” If this really is Newhouse’s aim, then why are the professors crushing students’ curiosity? Just because a person isn’t of a certain race, gender or from a particular socioeconomic background that isn’t of the norm shouldn’t mean they should have their mouths taped shut or fail an assignment because a project didn’t take a turn in which it was expected to. It was Nelson Mandela who patiently waited 27 years in prison because he voiced his opinion to grab South Africa by the horns and non-violently destroy the racism that was so heavily prevalent there, all with his words of speech.

“$57,000 to take your finals.”
As it is surely well known, Syracuse University is a pricey school to attend. We have various programs that put us to the top that make people from all over the world want to come here. However, the $57,000 price tag often deters people from even applying and a lot of the time they turn down an offer for admission. There are a lot of people who are blessed to come here with the financial support from their parents, private loan companies, scholarships and the Department of Education, but not everyone is this lucky.

Finals week is the one of the few weeks out of each semester that students on campus are boiling with stress and pressure. These messages on these academic buildings should be viewed as a wake up call.

So perhaps think about supplying Link/L.C. Smith students with up-to-date computers.

Professors, don’t step all over our out-of-the-box thoughts and opinions.

Financial aid, maybe that student does deserve that extra grant.

Before you paint over the statements, please pay attention to these messages on campus and consider our thoughts, and be thankful that they weren’t voiced in a violent manner instead.

Aysha Seedat
Policy Studies
Class of 2016

Published on December 9, 2013 at 9:03 pm