EDITORIAL: Unfair illegal fines ought to stop
Issue date: 5/14/09 Section: Opinion
On the front page of this issue, the Viking ran a story about charging money as an incentive to boost student performance and professional behavior.
Performance in what subject area, one may ask? It does not really matter. Furthermore, the Viking is not particularly concerned with who is charging the unnecessary and illegal fines and fees. What the Viking does care about is ensuring that student and teacher boundaries are observed and respected. When a teacher infers that they are welcomed into students' pocketbooks, a boundary is crossed.
First of all, most students already are strapped for cash. That is probably why they are attending a community college in the first place. With everyone going through tough economic times, instructors should do their best to find alternative means to inspire and encourage professionalism.
For instance, if money is going to remain an incentive and can be withdrawn from students' wallets, then funds should be able to be deposited as well. Ten minutes early to class, $10 please!
At the end of the day, charging fees beyond tuition, parking, textbooks and supplies is going to discourage students. It certainly would dampen spirits in the newsroom environment.
If fines were charged for every typo, late arrival or absence, then one of two things would happen. The Viking would be extremely wealthy or there would be no Viking at all. Despite the possibility of having more funds, which every department on this campus could use, the Viking does what it can to inspire without siphoning money out of student reporters' pockets.
Instead, grades are used as incentive. Isn't that what all the other educators do anyway? Grades can be used as a punishment and a reward. If someone is not giving 100 percent, or is being disrespectful, then their grade should reflect the behavior.
Whatever the trade, skill or craft is, nobody is going to be interested in what the individual has to offer in the professional world if they fail their classes.
Performance in what subject area, one may ask? It does not really matter. Furthermore, the Viking is not particularly concerned with who is charging the unnecessary and illegal fines and fees. What the Viking does care about is ensuring that student and teacher boundaries are observed and respected. When a teacher infers that they are welcomed into students' pocketbooks, a boundary is crossed.
First of all, most students already are strapped for cash. That is probably why they are attending a community college in the first place. With everyone going through tough economic times, instructors should do their best to find alternative means to inspire and encourage professionalism.
For instance, if money is going to remain an incentive and can be withdrawn from students' wallets, then funds should be able to be deposited as well. Ten minutes early to class, $10 please!
At the end of the day, charging fees beyond tuition, parking, textbooks and supplies is going to discourage students. It certainly would dampen spirits in the newsroom environment.
If fines were charged for every typo, late arrival or absence, then one of two things would happen. The Viking would be extremely wealthy or there would be no Viking at all. Despite the possibility of having more funds, which every department on this campus could use, the Viking does what it can to inspire without siphoning money out of student reporters' pockets.
Instead, grades are used as incentive. Isn't that what all the other educators do anyway? Grades can be used as a punishment and a reward. If someone is not giving 100 percent, or is being disrespectful, then their grade should reflect the behavior.
Whatever the trade, skill or craft is, nobody is going to be interested in what the individual has to offer in the professional world if they fail their classes.
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