SG as a Class Warrior: Am I doomed?

I am proud of my college degree. I was the first person in my family (parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles) to get a degree. I'm the only one to have a professional degree (juris doctor).

But neither of my degrees were from prestigious schools. I'm still proud to be an alumna of both of them because it was hard work no matter what the name or location of the school was. I made the most out of situations. I'm still paying for my own way.

So it maddens me to see this. According to this study, it still matters more where you went to school than what you did. I know this is true. Someone who went to Harvard makes more than someone who went to my undergraduate school, Eastern Michigan University. But should they? Should someone with the advantage of getting to a school like Harvard automatically be given a free pass to bigger bucks and more opportunities?

What does this mean? Do we have to perpetuate the stereotype that an Ivy League degree is automatically better than a liberal arts college degree by sending our kids to better-named schools even if we don't agree with the proposition?

I guess this changes nothing--I've always made my own opportunities and have never been ashamed of what I've accomplished no matter where the school is. But at the same time, it gives me big Class War debate fodder. How many of these Ivy League graduates are people whose parents already had it easy? How many of these Ivy League graduates didn't have to work through school or take out student loans? Sure, I know there are the exceptions, but the Ivy League status is this country's "landed gentry". But should it be?

This gal thinks not.

A Big Feminist Day for my Alma Matter

Eastern Michigan University has it's first female president. (About 10 years too late, if you ask me. I could have used her there while lobbying for funding of the Women's Center.) For the first time in the history of a school that is most well-known for educating teachers and social workers (both female-dominated workforces), EMU has yet to have its own female in charge. I don't know much about this chica, but either way it's nice having that first out of the way. She appears to be a Dem as she was appointed to state-level positions by Governors Blanchard and Granholm, so that's a plus.

In any event, welcome Susan Martin--you'll be getting a letter from one of your graduates fairly soon upon your arrival in Welch Hall.

Step aside, EastREN

(and yes, I know I misspelled it...it's a joke)

Apparently some lady that died like eight years ago gave her estate worth $2.2 million to EMU to turn into some artsy retreat thing.

Though in the works for years, Parsons’ gift - made up of $1.75 million in cash and $489,000 in property - was announced today, soon after the final papers were signed, said EMU spokesman Ward Mullens.

You can find out more about this hippie retreat here.

Do alumnae get to go?

Pour a Forty: Don Anderson

In a life not so long ago in a galaxy not so far away I worked at the EMU Women's Center. While there I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Don Anderson, director of Access Services (center on campus to help students with disabilities). Don was a powerhouse from the moment I met him and he was a force to be reckoned with. He was always educating and advocating--two things near and dear to my heart. Though I never got to know Don as much as I would have liked, I always had the utmost respect for him.

I just learned that Don died on Christmas Day.

The world is a little quieter without Don and a little less enigmatic. But no doubt the knowledge and inspiration he passed on while he was here will live on forever.

I always wanted to a FAMOUS school...not an INfamous one.

It was only a matter of time before the president and a few others at Eastern Michigan University were kicked out for good. The whole firing spree stems from a murder committed sometime before December 15, when a student's body was found in her room. The school decided it didn't want anymore bad publicity after years of abuse at the hands of the media (deserved abuse, I may add) for fiscal and other misappropriations. So what did they do? They opened themselves up to the largest college liability scandal in history. The lied and said the death was not suspected to be the result of foul play. They shredded documents. They lied to students and reporters alike. And worst of all, they lied to the deceased's family.

Yet another lovely day in 48197. I'm so glad that the institution where I earned my undergraduate degree is at the end of every wagging finger in the nation. So glad.