SWA #8

In the Carolina Reader three authors discuss issues that have come been noticed more because of their growth or need of attention; religion, politics, and social class affecting dropouts. Each article gives reasons to what is causing changes in the topic they are discussing.
The first article, “Matters of Faith Find a New Prominence on Campus” by Alan Finder in 2007, was written discussing the growing religious practices on college campuses. One of the reasons Finder gives for this is the rise in religious right in politics. Some of the main religious arguments like abortion and war leave students looking for answers. Another reason he gives is the September 11 attacks that he says “underscored for many the influence of religion on world affairs”. Another reason he states is baby boomers not imposing their religion on their children as they had had their parents do to them. This allowed for their children to find themselves and when students came to campus and tragedies happened “they sometimes feel that they don’t have resources to deal with them. And sometimes they turn to religion and courses in religion,” said Mr. Steffen, the chaplain at Lehigh University.
Religion is not the only thing growing. The second piece, “Schools of Thought: The Liberal-Conservative Divide on College Campuses” by Richard Just was published in 2003 discusses the growing and more evident active political conservatism on college campuses. Just discusses how conservative students are noticing an overwhelming liberal bias in students and faculty and staff on campuses. Much of the staff is liberal in most colleges and imposes their political views, intentionally or unintentionally, in the classrooms. Because there are so many liberals in colleges it is putting a spotlight on the minority of the conservatives, as Just states, “…though the right is still a minority on many campuses, it is undoubtedly an energized one.” This extra attention allows for extra funding to conservative newspapers and speakers, and these contributions are much greater than that of the liberals.
In the final article, “The College Dropout Boom” by David Leonhardt, suggests that the large gap between lower, middle, and upper class is a big reason why the number of college dropouts are increasing. Along with this is that “tuition bills scare some students from even applying and leaving others with years of debt.” Even if some students with lower income get in if they apply, even though they are not the preference, they may not be able to afford four or five years of school with or without scholarships. Leonhardt suggests that high schools are partly to blame for students dropping out when they do not succeed because the high schools do not prepare the students properly for going into college. Another reason is that some students may be lacking direction towards college from their family members. Some students just do not have a support system at home for them to be able to strive for a higher education.
All three of these articles raise interesting points to the ever changing college student. Although these changes in religion, politics, and dropouts may not occur in all colleges, the evidence is mainly from Ivy League schools, it is certainly interesting that the tables may turn from the old ways and beliefs of those who set the stage in colleges as to what was once tradition in schools. It all could be changing for something different because everyone wants something different.