It is a common tradition for people to reevaluate their lives at the start of a new year. The time is often used to examine and identify bad habits. After doing so, many people compile a list of their “New Year’s resolutions.”

While it is likely that many students reading this have confessed their list of desired changes to those around them at parties, USF has not had an opportunity to examine the past year and share its own list of resolutions.

We decided to take the time to think of a few minor suggestions for resolutions as the University marches into the next year.

When looking back at 2007, the most glaring problem that USF was accused of was its disturbing lack of security. Underscored by the numerous articles written and news reports filed about how dire the situation was for University Police, this leads us to the first suggested resolution.

While hiring security guards saved USF’s face in the public eye, the school’s issues will not truly be solved until it learns to respect its employees and the organizations that represent it. The security was such a concern in part because USF has been dragging its feet in negotiations. This is reflected in almost every other aspect of the University’s dealings with employees, as in December when it was made public that the staff employee union had also reached an impasse in negotiations.

The University desperately needs to re-evaluate where it stands in its relationship with the employees that will make its success possible in 2008.

Another suggested resolution is that the University should do its best to be more honest with students, employees and the media.

When a high-level member of the administration was accused of financial mismanagement and employee intimidation, the University should have gone out of its way to have a third party investigate the accusations. Instead, an internal audit was done. To make matters even less transparent, an e-mail was sent declaring that high-ranking member innocent, even though only one aspect of the audit was complete and the report filed found that many of the major accusations were founded.

It was a dangerous line the school walked in 2007 and if left unchanged the school may be in for a rude awakening in the coming year. Beyond achieving academic and financial success, USF might find that dealing fairly and being honest with students and employees will make 2008 its best year yet.