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3 • O ctober 22,2003 • T he C lackamas P rint
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Why can people be so unhelpful?
Pete Ford
Opinion Editor
Great customer service is some
thing that everyone can appreciate.
Lately, though, I have found that
many people are only in a rash to get
rid of you or pass you on to someone
else.
This has been my experience
recently in the Community Center.
During the first two weeks of registra
tion, the lines students wait in just to
register are long and time-consuming.
Waiting, waiting and more wait
ing; after waiting just a little bit longer
one day, I found myself at thé counter
with someone who was unable to give
me the answers I needed. I was told to
hold on for just one moment while she
went to try and figure things out for
me.
While “on hold,” I noticed some
one else to my left, another student,
who was also being hassled while all
she wanted to do was register. I heard
her say that she was told to pay off her
previous balance in order to register
and that was all that was needed. She
was presenting her receipt that proved
the account was at zero so she could
finally register for the classes she’d
already been attending, but still noth
ing.
These people behind the help
desks; who I think of as customer^
service representatives (CSRs) then’
told the student that there was some
one else she needed to talk to make
sure everything was okay and that she
could not register then. Standing com
pletely baffled, the forty-something
year-old student did not know what to
say. She Was; told that the person she
was required fo see was not even
going to be back to the college for two
days.
The woman who was helping me
came back after seeking answers from
higher authority and said, “Can you
come back later? There will be some
one else here that can help you out
with this. I’m not authorized to take
care of this for you! ”
To stonewall students with an
excuse as to why you cannot help
them and then brush them away like
they don’t matter seems absurd to me.
This kind of attitude offends me
far worse than any word or gesture
ever could. It is a negative behavior
that is often camouflaged by fake
kindness; they’re nice to students
because they have to be for their job. I
don’t believe their kindness is always
sincere.
Patriot Act borders on abuse of
of the government's power
Pete Ford
Opinion Editor
While originally created with posi
tive anti-terrorism intentions, the USA
Patriot Act is now being used to
manipulate the law to its own advan
tage.
Nearly 75 percent of the “anti-ter
rorism” convictions have not actually
been related to terrorism, according to
The Oregonian. The speeches of
Attorney General John Ashcroft, for
example, focus almost entirely on the
terrorism aspect of the law with very
little mention of the other criminals it
brings down. Many of these cases are
falsely labeled and could be considered
more ordinary crimes.
This begs the question: why has
there been a sudden spike in criminal
investigations since Sept. 11,2001 due
to non-terrorism, activity using the
Patriot Act? And why the secrecy? It
makes one wonder if something is
being covered up. It’s very interesting
that a government who claims to seek
justice needs to be scandalous in an
effort to receive it
Anthony Romero, executive direc
tor for the American Civil Liberties
Union, states, “Once the American
public understands that many of the
powers granted to the federal govern
ment apply to so much more than just
terrorism, I think the opposition will
gain momentum.”
The USA Patriot Act enables the
law, with the secretive help of powerful
individuals, to take the easy way out.
Envision officers believing some
one to be criminal without any proof.
They take the matter into their own
hands using the “anti-terrorism” laws,
and bring that someone in on other
charges. What gives them the privi
lege to invade a person’s rights just
because they hold the power in their
hands?
Their main conservative argument
in support of the Patriot Act is to do
everything in their power to protect the
Eves and liberties of Americans. They
are simply taking the wrong approach
in doing something they believe to be
positive.
So the question remains, why
would law enforcement officials need
to be granted new powers for non-ter-
rorism investigations?
The government is bending our
constitutional rights and cheating the
system for their own benefit
specialist is the most helpful individ
ual on campus, in my opinion. He is
an advisor who knows how to solve
problems. His job is to be the person
that you go to with questions about
your academics and what classes you
need to graduate. He can also tell you
what you need to do to receive finan
cial aid or just be there to help you
when a question needs to be answered.
We need a Mike-like student advo
cate to work with registration and the
cashiers’ office.. . someone who can
And does it ever seem like the
supervisor, manager or person who
can resolve complicated problems sits
in a small, secluded back room and
waits to come out until completely
necessary? That is, if they decide to
come out at all.
Not everyone fits into this mean
category and this is directed at no par
ticular individual. Those who give 100
percent shine 100 percent.
I have a solution to this problem.
Mike Caudle, advising/recruitment
EARL ENGLAND C lackamas
P rint
Impatient students wait in line to pay for fall term ’
classes at the cashier’s office in the Community Center.
help those individuals who have
issues with registering and problems
that would prevent them from
enrolling in classes for whatever rea
son. A person you can deal with one-
on-one, who can help you with issues
that only selective departments can
solve. A position like this would help
out many frustrated students out with
their problems, just as Mike does.
I believe that when someone’s job
is to provide others with kind behavior
and the knowledge of their surround
ings, generally that is what is expected
of them. The customers I work with at
Starbucks deserve “Five Star
Legendary Service” from me and I do
my best to give them nothing less that
that... even if I don’t care for that par
ticular individual. I do it because it is
my job.
This is my challenge to everyone
who works with people: take it upon
yourselves to help people get the
answers they need or find the person
who can give them those answers.
Not all circumstances can be
resolved immediately, I understand,
but it is frustrating to us all to feel
abandoned and come up empty-hand
ed.
Use the powers within your job to
do whatever you can to resolve a con
flict and just be helpful to the best of
your ability. It is the right thing to do.
Chiefs Weekly
Column
1
Can eager students winter next term?
^•wCyndee Mady
^Co-Edltorin Chief
■
The excitement of fall term,
enhanced with fresh young faces
eager to absorb the knowledge
that lies within classroom doors,
has yet again visited our campus.
The question is: Will the school
spirit survive the winter?
As I begin my third year here,
I’ve noticed that each winter term
seems to bring more available
parking spaces, less time spent in
cafeteria lines and fewer students
in the classrooms. Where does all
the enthusiasm from fall term go?
Some students may be overly
eager, taking too many credits and
getting overwhelmed. Other stu
dents may think they need a break
from education after having spent
the last 13 years in school. The
snugness of a warm down com
forter on a cold rainy morning
may be enough to keep many stu
dents in bed rather than in school.
Whatever the reason, attendance
just seems to drop off in the win
ter.
I went to college straight out
of high school, and dropped out
by winter term. That was 20
years ago.
My absence of education left
me with no marketable skills. I
bounced from one restaurant to
the next—serving food, tending
bar and holding down two jobs to
make ends meet.
Not only did I struggle finan
cially at times, I struggled to
make intelligent conversation
with educated people, many times
attempting to disguise my igno
rance when the majority seemed
to be in the know.
At the age of 37, feeling as
though my life was stagnant with
lack of purpose, I decided to give
college another try and discovered
what I’d been missing all those
years—intellectual stimulation.
I regret not having done it
sooner while still living at home
with no more than auto expenses
to worry about and my parents
offering to pay the tuition—but
better late then never.
So I am here to pass along my
wisdom in hopes that you will
learn from my mistakes.
Take a reasonable amount of
courses' so as not to get over
whelmed and throw in the towel.
Do the best you can in all your
classes, even those you hate,
because all knowledge is good
knowledge and take advantage of
your parents’ hospitality as long
as humanly possible.
A future full of opportunities
can be afforded through educa
tion, so whether you take 16 cred
its or six credits stay in school,
it’s worth the effort.
I look forward to seeing you
winter term!
Have you had any problems with the school so far this year?
“It was a pain for registration,
but financial aid was good.
The book store prices are
ridiculous!”
T he
C lackamas P rint
19600 S Molalla Ave.
Oregon City, OR 97045
(503) 657-6958
The Clackamas Print is a weekly student
publication and is distributed every
Wednesday except during Finals Week.
“Everyone was cool to me, but
the financial aid process has
been really slow. I’m still wait
ing for a check.”
“I haven’t had any hassles at all.
Everyone has seemed really
nice and helpful.”
“Everything has been smooth so
far; it’s only the third week.
Cafeteria lines are really long and
the chicken soup really sucked.”
Co Editors-in-Chief: Cyndee Mady
Advertising Manager: Mark
and Cory Price
Falling, ext. 2578
Copy Editor: Katie Funk
News Editor: Jared Eschweiler
Opinion Editor: Pete Ford
Feature Editor: Karen Hill
Tech/ Design Editor: Robb Egan
Staff Writers: Shannon Armstead,
Production Assistants: Megan
Cline, Tamie Johnson, Maggie
Leniger, Shannon Nielsen, Justin
Ortin, Carmen Richard
Adviser: Linda Vogt
Secretary: Lauren Vulsteke
A&E Editor: Isaiah Creel
Sports Editor: Nie Delzell
Michaele Cooper, Earl England,
Brian Hill, Karlin Johnson, Frank
Jordan, Jesse Lamond, Jessica Le
Claire, Ben Maras
77ie Clackamas Print © 2003
“I just need to get my financial
aid! Everything is fine; you just
need to be motivated.”