Editor’s Note: Putting our school in perspective

by Nichole Carnell

Thanks to generous funding from the ASLC Finance Committee, six journalists from the Pioneer Log attended a national college journalism convention in Phoenix last weekend and gained an abundance of media knowledge. As we mingled with our colleagues, not only did we learn how to improve the PioLog, but we also found that Lewis & Clark is not half bad.

Regardless of how many problems you might think this institution is plagued with, LC is incredible compared to some of the other places of higher education we learned about this weekend. From ignorant administrators to reporters failing to grasp even the simplest political knowledge, other colleges have bigger problems than we ever dreamed of. The following may sound like a little ass kissing, but praise must be given to this place after I’ve seen what exists “out there.”

First of all, the LC administrators legitimately care about granting students access to information. As the leaders of student media on campus, we have yet to encounter an unfair or malicious administrator who refused to share information we deserved. Dean of Students Celestino Limas has show us many times that he is committed to sharing information, and his willingness to accommodate our needs is a privilege other college media seem to lack.

I heard horror stories, such as an administration covering up a hazing and then claiming the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act as an excuse for not releasing information. While transparency may be a reoccurring complaint amongst community members, it is nice to be able to speak in person to our Dean rather than his secretary’s secretary.

But I wouldn’t give all the credit to our administration; LC students are also an exceptional collection. For example, I would wager the contents of my piggy bank that every person on this campus can tell me what the far right is. At a convention keynote, editorial cartoonist David Benson put up a cartoon displaying the picture of a large, sloppy looking blob in a suit with the words “far right” displayed above him. The majority of the audience laughed, but one student-reporter turned to their neighbor and asked,  “What does ‘far right’ mean?”

Let that sink in.

Yes, esteemed co-eds, not everyone is as sharp as the knives in the LC kitchen. While we may think that our tuition is high and the range of courses too small, it was a relief this past weekend to know that we didn’t shop generic on our education and it is paying off splendidly.

Not only is this one of the most beautiful campuses in the country, it’s also just a solid choice all around. Be thankful we don’t deal with much hazing or violence but instead are surrounded by smarties, and those who hold the power don’t wield it unfairly. This proverbial, liberal arts utopia is one we should be proud of. If our biggest problems rest in the misunderstandings of a poster of protest, we are happy to stay right here.