Discovery Program’s budget cuts mean no learning communities, which engendered collaboration among freshman, for Fall ’09 (see Page 1). In their absence, students should energize their own sense of teamwork … under a program or not.
If the Binghamton University administration has stayed true to its word that the last place the budget-cut ax would fall would be academic pursuits, then the ax must have painstakingly fallen everywhere else. At least, we hope that’s the case — the University has not actively publicized its budget-cutting process.
Although student Discovery Assistants will continue providing academic guidance for their peers, they will have reduced work hours. On top of that, they’ll no longer get free on-campus housing — a key incentive for students to take the position. We aren’t suggesting that DA’s are only in it for the perks, but for many, that provides a means to an end. With reduced availability and an ever-changing advising situation for students overall, the need for individual planning and course advising is going to fall more squarely upon one specific person — the student.
True to the times, students are just going to have to make the best of what they have: the equivalent of coupon-hunting for academia. Instead of being automatically placed with students in their classes, now freshmen will have to seek out study groups on their own. It may be the case that academic and honors organizations will take the lead — pre-med and foreign language honors societies, to name a few, can pick up where Discovery left off and tutor their peers or hold workshops. Upperclassmen can help by mentoring underclassmen, if only to score some resume points. Departments are stretched thin enough, but it’s safe to say that departmental advisers may see an increase in the number of frantic students that approach them for help.
If we are truly going to share the burden of the economy, we may as well start by forming more effective communities on campus. To spin it for the better, let’s look at this as a new opportunity to become active members of our circles and to really work together. Let’s re-make our own learning community.