Opinions

OPINIONS 9/22/15 10:46am

Sports LLC should be less restrictive

By Tommy Hamzik

If it had been available when I was a freshman, I absolutely would have applied. But the Sports, Participation & Networking (SPN) Living Learning Community (LLC), which is focused on sports and ties in with the Sport and Event Management (SEM) department, is new to Elon University this year. According to its page on Elon’s website, those in the SPN will “participate in intramural sports on campus as well as attend local sporting events” and “plan social events that interest them and engage with faculty members ... outside of the classroom.” The description also mentions meet-and-greets with Elon coaches, group dinners and trips to events such as the ACC Tournament and minor league baseball games. Sounds great.

OPINIONS 9/21/15 6:42pm

Focus less on grades, more on learning

By Tim Melton

If we apply ourselves to academics with the intention to acquire knowledge, good grades should naturally follow. But by taking the easy route now and only applying ourselves for the immediate reward, we are only enhancing the challenges we’ll face the moment we leave campus.

OPINIONS 9/20/15 7:06pm

The tragical misutilization of English

By Kathy Lyday

When my daughter was small and angry with me, she called me the Mean Mean Monkey Queen (Thank you, “The Wizard of Oz”), so I thought that if I ever had a grammar column or blog, I’d use the name Mean Mean Grammar Queen, since having taught grammar, linguistics and writing for four decades probably qualifies me for that title.

OPINIONS 9/17/15 10:43am

The problem with expectation inflation

By Hali Tauxe-Stewart

Lately, I’ve been thinking, “Maybe I’m mediocre.” And even more lately, I’ve been thinking, “So what?” Growing up in the age of participation trophies, I have been led to believe, like many others of my generation, that I am special — perhaps even destined — for great things.

OPINIONS 9/16/15 6:42pm

Is this GrammerGate?

By Lauryl Fischer and Frankie Campisano

First of all, we’ve got to address this: Somebody left their cocaine outside the Moseley Center.

OPINIONS 9/16/15 8:05am

Prepare to adjust Greek perceptions

At Elon University, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life — formerly the Office of Greek Life — is making an effort to improve the relationship between Greek organizations and the rest of campus and the general perception of Greek organizations on campus. But these efforts can’t be one-sided.

OPINIONS 9/15/15 12:00pm

What can you fit in a backpack?

By Jan Fuller

There are 20 million refugees in the world at this moment, more than at any other time in history.

OPINIONS 9/15/15 9:00am

Stop talking, start listening

By Caroline James

Americans from all over the country are frustrated with their government, and rightfully so. The past seven years have been an exercise in gridlock, with Republicans in Congress determined to block any initiative on any issue made by the president.

OPINIONS 9/14/15 10:35pm

Upperclassmen want more SGA engagement

By Tim Melton

Last week was a big one for Elon University’s SGA. If any incoming Elon freshmen were unaware of SGA’s existence, the recent election of officers for the Class of 2019 and Thursday’s Call to Honor ceremony certainly made its presence known — to younger students.

OPINIONS 9/11/15 11:24am

Doctors' Orders

By Lauryl Fischer and Frankie Campisano

For more than 100 years, we here at Doctors’ Orders have been bringing nose exhalations, chuckles and maybe — if we’re lucky — even laughter to the Elon University community.

OPINIONS 9/10/15 9:17am

True freedom is built on liberty

By Meir Goldstein

“True freedom is built on liberty.” This Jewish lesson instructs us that there can be no freedom without equal rights — and this includes all rights: voting rights, working rights, education rights, equal pay rights, environmental justice rights, marriage equality rights, reproductive justice rights and every right found in our great nation that is offered to any one of its citizens.

OPINIONS 9/9/15 8:19pm

Honor: more than a tradition

By Avery Steadman

“On my honor, I will uphold the values of Elon University: honesty, integrity, responsibility, and respect.”

OPINIONS 9/9/15 8:05am

Study abroad for yourself, not others

Students must decide for themselves what they want their abroad experiences to be. They can choose to go somewhere that will further their career goals or that offers courses specific to their major, or they can choose to go to the same abroad destination as their friends. These options are not mutually exclusive: It’s certainly possible to study abroad with friends and still have an experience that fulfills academic, professional, cultural and personal goals. But that is up to each student to determine for him or herself.

OPINIONS 9/8/15 4:03pm

'Proper' language requires context

By Hannah Silvers

Ask any group of English majors what their pet peeves are, and you could compile an entire BuzzFeed-esque listicle entitled “1,000 grammar mistakes you didn’t know you were making but definitely are.” But as an English major, do you know what my pet peeve is? Grammar snobs.

OPINIONS 9/8/15 9:15am

Get your hours checked, Einstein

By Lauryl Fischer and Frankie Campisano

When you and any traveling companions make it to your destination, provided you all survive the journey, you will be rewarded with Elon University Dining’s latest delicacy: Einstein Bros. Bagels.

OPINIONS 9/7/15 7:12pm

Focus on Elon's qualities other than aesthetic

By Tim Melton

By placing our confidence in the deeper qualities that make Elon such an attractive school, we can instead build lasting relationships with our students, new, old and incoming, one that keeps them coming back for more.

OPINIONS 9/4/15 10:22am

Multi-Faith SAGES come to Elon University

By Jan Fuller

We are looking for motivated, great students to take part in a new Truitt Center program at Elon University called Multi-Faith SAGES. SAGES is for students who love religious diversity; who want to know more about their own religious and spiritual traditions, practices and beliefs and who want also to know how to interact respectfully with others.

OPINIONS 9/3/15 11:08am