Friday, March 29, 2024

A Student Center for Students?

Column name: The Astromech

Columnist: Jayson D. Semetara

 

Silliman University is ranked as one of the top universities in the Philippines. Every year, the school invites guests from all over the nation, and even the world, to tour the school and see its unique structure of high education. They send school ambassadors to high schools to tell them that Silliman University will take care of them, as if they were at home.

However, once enrolled, it is a whole different story.

Silliman University needs to start looking inwards in order to bring people from the outside. Taking care of the students should be the first priority, being that this is still a school of higher learning. Don’t get me wrong, getting help and  benefits from outside sources is great and all, but those resources should be used by the student, not just show it off to the visitors to lure them to campus.

First off, we need to have more resources for the classroom. An article on the Weekly Sillimanian has already stated what most of those needs are. However, some little things like fixing a few projectors in the classroom need to happen as well. The library needs constant care as well. Currently they are rebuilding and fixing a few things, but the process is slow. Being claimed as “the first biggest library in the South,” this facility needs to be taken care of with the pride and joy of Silliman.

Second, a proper student center needs to be created. Now most would say that there is one, but if you ever stepped foot into it, you would always either see it being used for visitors or being locked up because they don’t even trust the students. The rooms are mostly offices and that only people with authority and “their friends” can hang out, leaving it unfair for others. A proper student center would be this: two or three floors with open lounges, an entertainment room or two so those with loud noises can hang out, a few small air-con rooms only for studying and tutoring purposes only, a few more food stores/kiosk aside from the cafeteria. This type of layout would help students stay on campus and be on time for their classes. Because let’s face it, not everyone wants to go to the cafeteria. Anything that deals with visitor stuff should be left to a creation of a “Visitor’s Center.”

Lastly, proper information of activities is needed. Everyone is so reliant on Facebook, but does anyone know how Facebook works? Just because you’re added to a group page doesn’t mean you know what’s going on in it. The algorithms placed in that website makes certain news and interests not show up on their newsfeed, or even their side menu bar. Some bulletin boards across campus are also in places that are not trafficked by students. The Weekly Sillimanian is also a great place to advertise certain events that will happen in the future.

We need to focus on ourselves first before bringing people into our campus. Otherwise, we’re just going to be a commercialized campus. It will make a student’s life a bit miserable while learning. If any of those things cannot be done, then can we take care of the students’ small needs? Or make them feel wanted? I challenge everyone, from those in the offices to fellow students, help make the current student life a little better. Let’s help one another, listen to their needs (whether verbally or on paper), and take care of them ASAP instead of prioritizing the visitors on campus.~

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