by Anita D. Wilbur-Utgaard

This is in response to the letter to the editor, Reducing research would hurt SIUC, printed in the Jan. 30 Daily Egyptian. Aldo D. Migone, professor of physics states If this change (extending professor’s office hours to nine a week) does in fact occur, it will not only devalue future academic degrees from SIUC, it will also have a major negative impact on the economy of the region.

Excuse me? It seems reasonable that professors keep their offices open to the hand that feeds them. Furthermore, I certainly do not accept this incredulous offer that keeping the office door open a few more hours a week is going to devalue this University, let alone create mass destruction on our economy. I mean come on, tuition prices have risen sharply here for students in the past five years, and services from professors have flatlined if as an undergraduate you ever see the professor who is in charge of the course you happen to be taking. In most cases, the lesson format for most of the University’s educators is strictly lecture. This is in spite of the hammering we get over in the College of Education to make the learning interesting, which in many cases can be achieved simply by asking a few questions of the students throughout the lecture. (Heaven forbid university-level students actually get any of a professor’s precious intellectual time!)

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As for the apparent sub-status Mr. Migone places on community colleges, I must say I favor attendance of these limited underlings for the very thing left out of your most intellectual highness’s argument the students. During my student teaching and future employment, I will encourage students to seriously consider attending a community college. From personal experience, I can say that students gain numerous mentors from the personal atmosphere. In addition there are smaller class sizes, cheaper tuition and the SAME basic information is taught.

Finally, I encourage SIUC’s undergraduate student population to ask themselves whether or not the money they are spending is giving them the sufficient access they need to their instructors. And, if the answer is no, to insist on this little tiny bit more of office time from their instructors. Otherwise, you may carry on with this intellectual vacuum Mr. Migone wishes you to fall into while he pursues his own selfish pursuits.