Editorial overgeneralizes

Dear Editor,

The Apr. 19 editorial states “but it hasn’t happened in my four years” in reference to students’ willingness to vie for student senate seats. I would like to point to the elections for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 student senate executive team, both of which had five fantastic teams composed of strong and enthusiastic student leaders. Moreover, I feel confident in stating that a poll regarding the 2009-2010 student senate would cause the author to second-guess the broad assertions made in the article. I cannot speak for this year’s student senate, but I can speak for a student senate that did great things less than four years ago. To that end, the author of this article should give pause before proffering sweeping language that generalizes over a large time period.

Ben Shoemaker, Student Body President ’09-10

English department dishes unsustainable

Dear Editor,

Since I first came to Calvin, Calvin has been known for promoting sustainability and stewardship of the environment. As a student, I was proud of the efforts on the part of students and faculty alike to promote creation care and continue to improve how we take care of our campus. However, when I joined the faculty of the English department this past year, I was shocked to find out that our break room not only has no recycle bins, but only uses plastic utensils and paper plates, cups and bowls! Why no communal dishes? We do have dish soap and sponges next to the sink! I don’t know how other departments’ break rooms look, but surely each one should at least have one of those nifty three-piece recycle/trash bins we see everywhere on campus. I’m deeply disappointed to find out that there is a discrepancy between what students and the community see the college doing to promote sustainability and what the reality is in the faculty break rooms.

Julia Mason, ’09