Dear Southern University,
Southern University and A&M College is an HBCU and one of the top universities in the country, but unfortunately we do not seem to be holding to this as of late. From a slow and communication challenged administration -to- people who are hired to look out for our best interest abusing their authority -to- this kamikaze style of money management in this ass backwards state wide budget-cut -to- a seemingly ghostly student government presence all the way down to this lazy, blinded (which I think is by personal choice) generation of students that I attend school with. Now I'm not going to lie I cut class occasionally but I mean damn I at least try and get what I missed from someone and I don't get mad when I'm called out about it. I understand the stresses of being a student in today's world, you go through stuff that previous generations don't understand. Some of you work, some are out-of-state students (like myself) and have to do so in order to pay these out-of-state fees that increase just about every year (where I'm from we call that a hustle)but because you care about not only your future but the future of our world (which by the way we will be running when the old dies out). Not only do some of you work but your apart of campus life like organizations, sports, the band, Greek life, the office of student media, or whatever else there is on this campus not to mention the personal stuff like families and relationships and all those other things that life has to offer anyone our age....so yea U might need a break here or there but that doesn't mean you should abuse this or not expect there to be consequences to face.....that's what it means to be a "grown up" people!! Lets cut the BS and have some RNS (Real Nigga Shit) discussion here:
1: Your here to get educated to carry your community and the world to higher heights so stop acting like this high school and carry yo ass to class!!
2: If you see piss coming....MOVE!! That means take some personal responsibility and make moves to stop you from falling deep(er) into a whole....which brings me to--
3: Stay informed!! Read sometimes....its actually fundamental. Instead of just looking at us(the media) as gossip slingers and muckrakers look to us as what we are, The Digest Staff doesn't stay in that office till all hours of the night for you people to just read the questions or the editorials....there might actually be some "news" in the "newspaper" warning you of grave danger ahead so that you can prepare for it.
4: Have the self fortitude to stand up to the people who are in charge or in those positions you put them in and make them produce some answers and results. Its time out for the silence and "under your breath talking".
While I'm on the subject of silence.....Where is SGA? We put you people in these positions so you can make a change not sit on those stipends and park in your parking spots by the union. I know you all are good people and this is not personal, but to call you out on your BS is my job. I took this position because I wanted to make a difference and if The Digest has educated just one person then the staff as a whole has accomplished this feat. All I ask is that Student Government officials do the same and if you have done so, say something, I know the media and politics are always at odds with each other but here at SU we all need to work together and stop acting like we are at war. If you have done something speak up and let everyone else know...The Digest is the students medium to be heard and that includes SGA. So dust yourselves off, get back in the game and start to make some change happen.
Now that I've said that to the students I have to same to those in charge of everything else. To the Administration and System leaders.....WTF?!?!? Why don't we ever hear from you all until after the shit hits the fan. It would be nice to hear about the dog getting ready to bite us before it takes a chunk out of our asses. You might need to, no wait, you have to talk to us, believe it or not we pay your salaries. Now I know your argument is "No, we get paid through state funds" you got a point with that one, but, the state determines how much money an institution gets based upon its number of ENROLLED STUDENTS. That means that the funds that pays your salaries depend on us enrolling and paying for school which means you need us. Communication between the higher-ups and the students should be the most important thing on your list. Like can someone tell me why the presidential search board hasn't decided on a candidate yet or can someone tell me who does interim president Kassie Freeman think she is fooling by calling these pay increases "temporary pay-overloads"....You're giving them raises for doing the same thing they did last year, by the way, what do they do? and aren't we facing budget cuts that could add up to $5 million? I don't think raises --oh my bad "temporary pay-overloads"-- are called for at this point in time. I think they were living just fine with their original pay and can hold out until we are in a better financial position. Let's instead manage what we already have and make precautions to lessen the burden on our institution.
While I'm on the subject money, alumni, GIVE SOME MONEY TO YO SCHOOL!!! I know, I know, we all have had a bad experience or two with Southern, from those ridiculously long financial aid lines to the grumpy and sometimes rude school employees and the occasional butt-hole of a professor but I know there were good times too. Don't forget how much good came from your college experience and don't so mad that a few memories of the bad times allows you to rob someone else of the same experience. Swallow that stupid pride and give a little! Maybe if you became more active in other areas (outside of what my staff reports on or puts in the viewpoints section) and get on these other people's cases you might be able to make someone's college experience more enjoyable. Do your part!!
All in all lets get real about our situation, if something new doesn't happen Southern is not gonna make it past 2025. This is the winter of our discontent, if we don't get together and try to work with each other to make it through this difficult season Southern is gonna lose and fall to the waist side of history.
Sincerely yours,
Norman J. Dotson Jr., Southern Digest Editor in Chief
