Opinion
Are students concerned about social
change?
by Linda Vogt
Adviser, The Print
Do college students really
care about anything?
That question often comes up
in the academic world - and
elsewhere - and recently I had
the good fortune to discover the
answer to it. It’s yes.
Last month I traveled to the
University of Minnesota to at­
tend a YMCA conference there.
Its delegates were 90 college
students from all over the na­
tion. Their purpose: to decide
what responsibility higher
education has for social change,
and to create a statement
describing their work. Students
met in small groups for two
Such an ethic draws
its strength from
dialogue
days, discussing, debating,
deciding. The result was a “mis­
sion statement” which they
authored - and adopted - as a
group.
As a participant of the con-
ference, I suggested to the
group that my part in com­
municating their ideas and ef­
forts would be to publish the
statement in the student
newspaper at Clackamas Com­
munity College. I hope you’ll
read it carefully, and I hope
you’ll consider the impact that
this kind of thinking - and com­
mitment - could have if college
students all across the country
collectively took a similar stand.
Do college students care?
Read the following, and decide
for yourself!
“A Mission for Higher
Education”
Institutions of higher educa­
tion have a two-fold obligation:
1) to the complete education of
students and 2) to the betterment
of the communities of which they
are a part.
It is the mission of higher
education to concern itself with
the development of leadership,
community service and social
Ethical
leadership is
developed by challeng­
ing personal values
change as an ethic that has as its
base the values of individual
worth, community and respon­
sibility. Such an ethic draws its
strength from dialogue, and finds
its expression in action that
enhances the common good.
Ethical leadership is developed
by challenging personal values
and by cultivating an awareness
of community that extends
beyond one’s immediate environ­
ment to a global view. It is a
result of a dynamic learning pro­
cess created by balancing theory
with experience.
Social change is a pro­
cess
Community service must be
seen as an interconnected part of
a complete education, as a bridge
between classroom theory and ac­
tion. We must create a nurturing
atmosphere which supports active
community participation and
assists students in the process of
defining and clarifying their
values. In our commitment to
service we must have clearly
stated policies and goals.
Community service
must be seen as an in­
terconnected part of a
complete education
• Social change is a process. It
comes about because of an open­
ness to continuous questioning
and dialogue. It comes about
through a cooperative effort, a
sharing of values and ideas which
unites us as partners in carrying
out our role as citizens. Because
we see social change as a
Higher education must
facilitate making con­
nections
cooperative effort based on
dialogue and questioning, the in­
stitution of higher education
must facilitate making connec­
tions, concern for others, and
personal responsibilities. This
would enable members of the
university community to
recognize their potential as
change agents in order to carry
out their roles as ethical decision
makers and citizens in the world.
By fulfilling this mission, in­
stitutions of higher learning in­
sure their own future success as
well as that of their students and
the communities which they
serve.
Flag Day
June 14th
Trip to be a
learning
experience
My name is Nickie Olson and 1
am currently a sophomore at
Clackamas. I plan to attend
George Fox during my remaining
two years of college.
I have decided, with the help of
my first year Spanish teacher,
Señora Carlota Holley, to travel
to Spain for four weeks this sum­
mer.
I am very excited about study­
ing abroad. I feel that I will pick
up the language very quickly if I
am forced to speak it, as I will be
during my stay in Seville, Spain.
I plan to travel around Europe
after graduating, from college,
but, I feel that this trip to Spain
will give me an idea of what to
expect in my future travels. I am
very thrilled to have the oppor­
tunity to take this trip and I
especially want to thank Señora
Holley for counseling me about
the Center for Cross-Cultural
Study in Seville, Spain with which
Clackamas Community College
is affiliated.
I know my trip will be a learn­
ing experience and I hope to
someday be able to share it
withfriends and fellow students.
Nickie Olson
June 3, 1987
Page 5