On Thu, 21 Sep 2000, DIANE M. CLARK (MUSIC DEPARTMENT) wrote:
>
> All right, guys...let's stop beating up on administrators! Those of us
> who are those realize all too well the conflict between what we wish we
> could do for students and what our resources allow us to do. It is very
> easy for non-administrators to point the finger, but when you are in the
> hot seat, things look altogether different.
I'm not trying to beat up - besides being a grad student at Mills, I also
happen to be admin staff (I've got to pay the bills!). I appreciate the
lack of resources, and surely it is a travesty what most lecturers are
paid.
Still, I often feel that if there were a basic shift in our "customer
service" attitude, things would improve in the long-term. The almighty
dollar comes from satisfied students and alumni. With a more loyal
constituency, the school would ultimately have more resources. It is no
coincidence schools are measured in part by alumni giving numbers.
Often, changes can be made that require very little effort or money, just
a little imagination. At Mills, it would take a short agenda item on few
staff meetings and a short talk with the IT and publishing staff to add a
new course number to the catalogue. I never said it wasn't effort, but in
the long run, it pays off. Better prepared students get better careers and
will want to give back (master classes, money, free tickets, endorsements).
It would have been simple for my advisor to call the registrar and have
them over-ride a petty requirement that I had obviously fulfilled in
another class. Instead, I had to travel hundreds of miles by train to
spend the Summer in Indiana. Surely, the administration could have met me
halfway?
Tako
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