Unfriendly Store Policy
The other day I stopped by the textbooks section of the BYU bookstore to skim through a Korean language book I was considering purchasing. I'm not enrolled in any Korean classes presently; I was simply looking for something to improve my Korean in my spare time. After glancing through one book for about two minutes to see if it was what I needed, an employee came and coldly informed me that I was not allowed to read textbooks in the bookstore.
I tried to make my case, only to be cut off and told it was 'bookstore policy.' This was the finishing touch in a series of bad experiences, so I promptly left deciding to never again buy at the bookstore since they apparently don't want me as a customer.
Whatever the excuses for this 'policy,' I was giving no indications of studying for a class because I was too poor to actually purchase the book. I had been there for less than three minutes, and I was standing with a bag on my shoulder. Even if I was trying to somehow cheat them by studying a book without actually buying it, is that a good way to run a business? Maybe Barnes & Noble should try supervising customers and kicking them out if they assume they are reading the book without intending to buy it. I strongly encourage the bookstore, which I already contacted directly, to reassess this 'policy,' and I encourage all students to consider other ways to purchase textbooks if this is how they're treated as a customer.
Matt Burt
Provo
BYUSA is Ineffectual
Every year after low turnouts at BYUSA elections, there are always those who criticize the students for not caring. The problem is that students are uncertain of whether the BYUSA serves the democratic function. If it was, BYUSA should represent the student body in the governing and policy-making processes of the school administration. Most BYU students trust the Church to make the best decisions for the school.
Frankly, BYUSA's president does not participate nor have a voice in the Board of Trustee meeting with the Apostles. Whether I vote for candidate A or B, what students will see are tuition going up and Y parking slots still lacking. When I think of the BYUSA, they organize dances, homecoming parades and other events. If what BYUSA does is event organizing, I will not vote for one or the other, because there is no way of knowing who will do a better job. In fact, it should be a part-time position as Event Organizing Committee Chair who gets hired for the best qualifications and resumes.
So unless a candidate promises the students that the all-sports pass will be cheaper next year, the election turnout will be always low. And no one should blame students for not participating in a democratic process, when it does not serve a democratic purpose. However, the one who will win can put 'BYUSA President' on his/her resume and gets to use it for a future political career that will not benefit the student body as a whole at all.
Taylor Joo
Seoul, Korea
WEB LETTERS
Accept the Loss
While your viewpoint on the MWC Tournament (March 12) may fare well with sympathetic BYU fans, to anyone else you just made a fool of yourself. Nothing looks worse than a columnist who can't accept a loss for what it is. Believe me, I'm a UNLV fan. I know a thing or two about losing. But I won't make excuses when my team gets outplayed. The Rebels' pressure defense was just too much for BYU to overcome.
While your argument about the home court advantage is a valid one, the T&M simply is the best place to hold this event right now. Would BYU have won this game on a neutral court? We'll never know. You'll say BYU is the better team, and the home court advantage was the difference in the game. I'll say during the regular season, UNLV went 9-5 away from the T&M, while BYU went 6-7 away from the Marriott center. Any argument either way is baseless.
What I hated about your article, though, was your cheap shot against a UNLV player. Kevin Kruger, the tourney MVP, is one of the classiest players in basketball, and you demonize him, taking an innocent quote out of context and calling it an 'attempt to deceive.' Come on, that's getting pretty desperate. The BYU players aren't making excuses, why should you? On Saturday, two teams took the floor, and the Cougars just happened to be the second best. Deal with it.
Jeff Steed
Las Vegas
Love BYU
When I transferred to BYU from the University of Texas at Austin, my sole purpose, sadly enough, was to take advantage of the less-expensive tuition - about $1,000 less per semester. My professors at UT-Austin were all top-notch educators and deeply concerned for my intellectual progress. I truly loved it there. At BYU though, I expected less simply because I believed that a tithing-run private institution could not compete financially in attracting the same type of outstanding teachers. Even so, I knew BYU was a well-respected university and that being a student here would not jeopardize any of my future plans.
I will graduate this April with a B.S. in biology. I wish to express my appreciation and affection for an exceptional faculty, not just in the Bio-Ag College. Professors Matt Peterson, Barbara Hinshaw, William Bradshaw, Claudia Clayton, Vern Sommerfeldt, Steven Graves, Mark Belk, William Winder and Jack Sites, just to name a few, have thoroughly impressed me by their level of commitment, both to their students and to their own personal scholarship. Surely money alone is not a key factor in attracting professors like these. It is something more intangible and is a testament to me of the dedication BYU and the LDS leaders demonstrate in 'building up the kingdom'. Indeed, an extensive gift of knowledge is not all I will take away from here. I will take with me a full realization of what human potential can be. For that, I will always 'bleed blue'.
Jon Knecht
Huntington , Ind.
Voter Apathy
The last few days there have been several letters accusing the BYU student body of gross apathy. The writers of 'No Right To Complain Now' and 'Students Belittle BYUSA' (March 12) seemed to blame me, personally, for Summer's victory over the allegedly superior John campaign, and actively supporting the Communist Party. While it is true I did not vote, my actions were not motivated by apathy.
John (or Jason's) twin brother attempted to convince me that John's proposals were A) possible and B) desirable. He failed on both counts by claiming that John and Jason would drive down prices at the BYU bookstore. He cited the example of history classes, which, lacking in research, have no need of new editions of textbooks. As a history major I was deeply offended, but that's not the point. To my understanding, the BYU bookstore is a private business, and has to make money. I find the idea of BYUSA changing their policies laughable.
Between unachievable proposals and the idiocy on this page of letters alone we see that BYU student body is incapable of governing itself. More importantly, BYU is a private institution run by the Church. Salt Lake, not the students, defines university policy. After some debate, I figured the best course would be to have a BYUSA that lacks popular support. Deny BYUSA of votes and they are denied legitimacy, thus relegating them to the vitally importantly role of hotdog chefs. Congratulations and good luck, Summer
John Fahey
Blanding