2008 Woodie Awards
New students failed by rushed CUSTOMS
The Editorial Board
Issue date: 6/6/07 Section: Opinions
Every year, thousands of students come flocking to MTSU for their college education. These prospective students are invited to sign up for CUSTOMS, a two-day, whirlwind tour of the campus, where they will be assigned county names to coincide with their majors (somehow) and be whisked around campus to view various buildings and learn about an assortment of goods and services the university provides. This is, more often than not, a complete waste of time.
There is the noteworthy fact that CUSTOMS completely ignores the needs of transfer students, dooming them to confusion as they enter a new school - not to mention a gloomy wasteland lacking in social connections. Incoming freshmen are new to college and have a better chance of adapting than a student coming from another university that likely had completely different methods of handling students and providing services. To put it in another way, a first-time driver will find it much easier to learn that a person from a country that drives on the opposite side of the road. However, MTSU does little to help these students adjust to life here. But what are they really missing, anyway?
The breakneck speed at which students are introduced to MTSU makes it very hard to retain much of the information being thrown at them. Students are shown around campus the first day and taken to a fair in the Recreation Center populated by campus organizations. On the second day, they are allowed to sign up for their classes with little explanation of what is required or what the classes will consist of. CUSTOMS needs to focus more on the academic aspect of college life, rather than the social aspect. Joining campus organizations is an important part of a complete breakfast for any student, but MTSU needs to treat classes as the focus of the event, not just a last-minute afterthought. Students should attend meetings that help them realize what their classes will be like, what is expected of them in college and how to balance social and school time. Instead of rushing through the booths that some might be interested in looking in to in order to get enough stamps on their paper passports, students could be using their time on campus to learn where their classes will be located.
Going to CUSTOMS should provide incoming students with a more solid foundation than tons of pamphlets from campus organizations and the vague and uneasy feeling that one didn't take nearly enough notes to keep up with what one will need to know to survive. The implication that students will meet other students and not be alone on their first day of class is also complete bunk. At CUSTOMS , students are divided up based on their majors. However, the first classes any student takes in their first semester are more than likely going to be general requirement courses, not the upper division ones shared by people in the same major.
Incoming freshmen are short-changed by this new student orientation program [ or, rather, one kind of new student]. Students are herded around like cattle for a few hours before MTSU washes their hands of them. Quick, impersonal and, for the most part, unhelpful. Welcome to MTSU.
There is the noteworthy fact that CUSTOMS completely ignores the needs of transfer students, dooming them to confusion as they enter a new school - not to mention a gloomy wasteland lacking in social connections. Incoming freshmen are new to college and have a better chance of adapting than a student coming from another university that likely had completely different methods of handling students and providing services. To put it in another way, a first-time driver will find it much easier to learn that a person from a country that drives on the opposite side of the road. However, MTSU does little to help these students adjust to life here. But what are they really missing, anyway?
The breakneck speed at which students are introduced to MTSU makes it very hard to retain much of the information being thrown at them. Students are shown around campus the first day and taken to a fair in the Recreation Center populated by campus organizations. On the second day, they are allowed to sign up for their classes with little explanation of what is required or what the classes will consist of. CUSTOMS needs to focus more on the academic aspect of college life, rather than the social aspect. Joining campus organizations is an important part of a complete breakfast for any student, but MTSU needs to treat classes as the focus of the event, not just a last-minute afterthought. Students should attend meetings that help them realize what their classes will be like, what is expected of them in college and how to balance social and school time. Instead of rushing through the booths that some might be interested in looking in to in order to get enough stamps on their paper passports, students could be using their time on campus to learn where their classes will be located.
Going to CUSTOMS should provide incoming students with a more solid foundation than tons of pamphlets from campus organizations and the vague and uneasy feeling that one didn't take nearly enough notes to keep up with what one will need to know to survive. The implication that students will meet other students and not be alone on their first day of class is also complete bunk. At CUSTOMS , students are divided up based on their majors. However, the first classes any student takes in their first semester are more than likely going to be general requirement courses, not the upper division ones shared by people in the same major.
Incoming freshmen are short-changed by this new student orientation program [ or, rather, one kind of new student]. Students are herded around like cattle for a few hours before MTSU washes their hands of them. Quick, impersonal and, for the most part, unhelpful. Welcome to MTSU.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
T
posted 6/06/07 @ 12:10 PM CST
I agree. I entered CUSTOMS very certain that MTSU was the school I wanted to attend. I left CUSTOMS very certain that I could have chosen the wrong school. (Continued…)
tcb
posted 6/09/07 @ 10:07 PM CST
What a thoughtful article. As an alumnae of MTSU it
sounds as though things are much as they were 20 years ago, only the
names have changed. I hope those in charge are listening and reading
and will rethink this program. (Continued…)
MT
posted 6/13/07 @ 10:37 PM CST
I agree with this article. I was a transfer student and CUSTOMS sis not prepare me for MTSU. There is not enough time given to transfer students. It was as if we had to pretty much discover things on our own. (Continued…)
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