In the Oct. 27 DE, Mr. Purnell stated that the majority of faculty and staff here could care less about the students and only strive to make things better for themselves, not for the students.

Recently, I saw a hanging on the bulletin board of a staff member in the College of Liberal Arts. This sign:THE STUDENT IS … the most important person on campus. Without students, there would be no need for the institution.

… not a cold enrollment statistic, but a flesh and blood human being with feelings and emotions like our own.

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… not someone to be tolerated so that we can do our thing. They are our thing.

… not dependent on us. Rather, we are dependent on them.

… not and interruption of our work, but the purpose of it. We are not doing a favor by serving them. They are doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so.

A copy of this sign now hangs on the bulletin board in my office. It is true that student success requires that students, faculty and staff work together.

College of Liberal Arts