Academic freedom should be protected

This academic year is going to be filled with disappointments and achievements. Yet, let us never go astray from what we are all really here for, which is to learn and become better leaders and successors for our generation and the generations to follow.

Yet, to fulfill our goals we must present ourselves and what we believe in to the world because no one else can.

I am here at USF to benefit from academic freedom, use my power as a student to learn all sides of the story, practice researched and insightful thought and most importantly, to learn more about myself and my values.

So, while we may have a professor who is being punished for his political views and has been deemed guilty before being given the chance to be proven innocent, we must never forget that we, as students, have rights and more power than we use.

Therefore, in addressing all of you, I cannot stress enough how much we need to protect academic freedom and our own freedom. Let us not forget Sept. 11 and what it meant to each of us.

Let us not allow Robert Goldstein to get away with claiming “insanity” as his reasons for planning a strategic attack on our constitutional rights, which govern and protect the practice of all religions.

We are living in tumultuous times. Instead of allowing this to give us reason to hide from our duties, let us use our power as highly educated individuals to protect and represent our beliefs so future USF students can enjoy the beginning of a new semester with peace of mind.

Everyone should understand that no one shall be persecuted for their unpopular views or fear worship because of a few unlearned individuals.

Aya Batrawy is a junior majoring in mass communications.

President’s actions show integrity

I read the editorial in Tuesday’s paper and could not have disagreed more. The column accused President Judy Genshaft of not deciding the fate of Dr. Sami Al-Arian, therefore letting the university down by not doing what she said she would do and needed to do. However, this is not true. President Genshaft decided to let Dr. Al-Arian go. However, she wanted to make sure that she could do this without going against Al-Arian’s constitutional rights. So, she went to the courts. Along with the lawsuit the USF Board of Trustees filed against the Al-Arian was a letter of termination. As soon as the court decides, if it does, that the university may fire Al-Arian, it will be final.

Also, to comment on another person who replied to this editorial: he too is wrong. He states that the president’s attitude and actions promote hatred and she should resign. Not true. The president’s actions display concern for the law and for the university, no matter what side of the fence one may be on in this controversy. The president has expressed great integrity and responsibility for her job. Thank you President Genshaft. Keep your job. The warm welcome the president received at Round-Up is proof that the majority of USF students support her, as they should.

Robert S. Herron is a sophomore majoring in business.

Parking services excuses fall short

This past summer semester, I came down with amnesia. If I came to school early enough, I always got a parking spot, and this must have caused me to forget the reality of the parking situation at USF.

This week, however, I was abruptly cured of my temporary bout with amnesia.

Now it is back to reality for myself and all USF students who have the joy of driving their cars onto this wonderful campus in search of a parking space.

I must laugh when parking officials say there are plenty of parking spaces … yeah, where? Timbuktu? It distresses me that I’m paying $105 a year to be forced to leave my home two hours earlier than needed and then walk 20 minutes to class. I might as well jog from Brandon.

The bottom line is that the situation with Parking and Transportation Services is disgraceful. Parking services is, in fact, not a “service” at all. It should be renamed “Parking Disservices,” and their motto should be “Show me the money.”

Stephanie L. Roome is a junior majoring in secondary education.

Warped Tour attendees leave scorched

The author of Thursday’s story about the Warped Tour failed to mention one thing – it occurred not “at the Sun Dome,” but on the blacktop parking lot surrounding it.

I attended the concert last year and was appalled to find that I had spent over $30 to spend a scorching August afternoon on a vast slab of tar. One water fountain was available for thousands of sun-stroked attendees. Many of the major acts advertised did not play.

I’d like the clever Sun Dome promoter who arranged that gig to spend the afternoon on the hot pavement with the crowds to see if he or she could get his or her money’s worth.

Surely we have a field somewhere on this campus for such an event. I will never attend another festival “at the Sun Dome” and will encourage others to avoid the place.

Warped Tour, find a better venue or present your show “at the Sun Dome” some time in January.

Andrew Huse is a member of the USF Library staff.