2008 Woodie Awards
Has this "small college" lost its "big heart?"
Laura Olson
Issue date: 9/12/07 Section: Campus Life
"It's never easy to be singled out for just being who you are, and I almost considered leaving Castleton," Gay said, "but I'm glad I didn't. Even though I had a rough time, people have surprised me. A lot of my classmates are friendly, helpful, and intelligent."
Whether nice, mean, or somewhere in between, the question still remains: Is this increase in rudeness and bad behavior due to a lack of stability in the Castleton community?
"Do I think that the incoming classes are getting worse attitude-wise? Yes. Do I think it's a problem that directly relates to the college? No. Castleton really has no influence on the way people come into this school. But on that note, there are things we can do to try and stop the trend," Pehm adds.
To make students aware of the slight changes in attitude, Dean of Academics Joe Mark included a section about values entitled "The Castleton Way" in his summer registration speech to incoming freshmen and their parents.
Later he sent an e-mail to faculty members and administration asking them for help to "nip [the decline in behavior] in the bud."
These actions included leaving cell phones on to interrupt class, coming late/leaving class early, and chatting during class.
"I still describe the typical Castleton student as nice and decent," Mark's e-mail stated adding that "a growing number were being a little rude occasionally, were addressing their faculty in disrespectful ways, etc."
Mark and the civility group created to help instill the importance of civility in students believe that Castleton's culture will not decline to the level of "larger society."
Pehm agrees.
"At the end of the day, we are a community," Pehm said firmly, "and it's just as much of our responsibility to educate the first-year students on how to act as it is for them to listen to us. Castleton has the ability to change people, and that, if nothing else, is a comfort."
Whether nice, mean, or somewhere in between, the question still remains: Is this increase in rudeness and bad behavior due to a lack of stability in the Castleton community?
"Do I think that the incoming classes are getting worse attitude-wise? Yes. Do I think it's a problem that directly relates to the college? No. Castleton really has no influence on the way people come into this school. But on that note, there are things we can do to try and stop the trend," Pehm adds.
To make students aware of the slight changes in attitude, Dean of Academics Joe Mark included a section about values entitled "The Castleton Way" in his summer registration speech to incoming freshmen and their parents.
Later he sent an e-mail to faculty members and administration asking them for help to "nip [the decline in behavior] in the bud."
These actions included leaving cell phones on to interrupt class, coming late/leaving class early, and chatting during class.
"I still describe the typical Castleton student as nice and decent," Mark's e-mail stated adding that "a growing number were being a little rude occasionally, were addressing their faculty in disrespectful ways, etc."
Mark and the civility group created to help instill the importance of civility in students believe that Castleton's culture will not decline to the level of "larger society."
Pehm agrees.
"At the end of the day, we are a community," Pehm said firmly, "and it's just as much of our responsibility to educate the first-year students on how to act as it is for them to listen to us. Castleton has the ability to change people, and that, if nothing else, is a comfort."
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