Pay attention WSU, LAS is still around
Students from the Liberal Arts and Sciences college get riled up before Clash of the Colleges begins.
As a political science and journalism major, I’m used to being ignored, laughed at and told I will never be able to get a job. It’s how I feel every day at Wichita State.
The Charles Koch Foundation recently donated $3.64 million to the Barton Business School for a new “Institute for the Study of Economic Growth.”
The engineering school has taken over almost the entire campus with the Innovation Campus initiative, but there’s nothing new for the liberal arts and sciences college.
The communication and political science departments do amazing things for their students; better yet, they care about their students. With the resources these departments have, I was able to land an internship in Washington D.C. where I worked for my favorite senator’s press team. Many other students I know, both Democrat and Republican, have also interned in D.C. or are currently working on campaigns in the area.
Yet, the administration continues to ignore the liberal arts and sciences college.
While new buildings are being built for the engineering school, liberal arts and sciences classes are still taught in classrooms with chalkboards and roach infestations.
When you invest so much time, money and resources into one or two colleges at a university, you’re going to isolate and shrink other schools with students who are passionate about their studies.
Before you say we should go to another university, consider that many students here don’t have the money to go to a large liberal arts and sciences school. I know I sure didn’t.
I took a gamble coming here to Wichita State to study political science and journalism. I could’ve easily gone to the University of Kansas, which is closer to home for me anyways, but I saw potential in Wichita State. I wish the administration would too.
Kylie Cameron was the Editor in Chief of The Sunflower for the 2019-2020 school year.
She is a senior studying political science and journalism and...
Steve • Sep 29, 2017 at 9:05 am
WSU is nothing more than a trade school for manufacturing employers. All available funding is being diverted into Innovation Campus and sports. Any student looking for an actual well rounded education should go somewhere else. When WSU absorbs the programs from WATC it will only get worse. WSU does not even pretend to be a legitimate university anymore, it exists solely to put money in the pockets of Bardo’s team and politically connected real estate developers.
Fine Arts Student • Sep 20, 2017 at 10:29 am
Yeah, I completely understand. We have a lot of the same issues in Fine Arts. Our buildings need so much help, and we’re often seen as a supplement rather than a necessity.
Former LAS • Sep 19, 2017 at 9:01 pm
As a former LAS student who was 9 hours from graduating then jumped ship to become a freshman in engineering, I can firmly say that I am so much more confident in myself. I believe as a senior in engineering I actually have a stong lilely hood of landing a job than I ever felt when I was a senior in LAS. The difference in knowing that advisors and ‘administration’ want to see you succeed is unreal as compared to the neglected LAS. I honestly feel sorry for those remaining in LAS. I have seen so many of my former classmates just dissappear and I believe it’s due to shame/guilt that nearly 4 years of life after college has yet to become meaningful beyond what a high school senior could do.
CJ major • Sep 19, 2017 at 6:11 pm
I think that LAS is improving things for their students, it just comes slower because we dont have big benefactors like some of the other colleges do. The school of community affairs is currently getting a new building over by the Marcus Welcome Center. This is a program that has been bound to only the 3rd floor of Lindquist with a broom closet as a forensic lab. Just because the change isn’t fast, or in your specific program, doesn’t mean that it isn’t happening.
LAS Grad • Sep 19, 2017 at 4:21 pm
Political Science, Sociology, Psychology, etc. are all majors with a ton of job opportunities for graduates!! Don’t give up! You may not get the highest paying job right outta the gate but you’ll definitely get one that’ll provide you the opportunity to move up the ladder! LAS rocks!
Insider • Sep 19, 2017 at 3:56 pm
Amen. Several buildings on campus flood every winter, but because they’re not engineering buildings, it’s a lower priority than building an entire new campus for engineering. Wilner Auditorium, where we have convocation(!), is literally crumbling and there is no plan for an equivalent space on innovation campus. If it’s not accessible to all students it’s not very innovative. Where is the plan to just stop flooding? Stop pushing your students (LAS/CFA) out of the way. Start caring about ALL your students.
Proud Shocker • Sep 19, 2017 at 2:13 pm
Fake Pres. Bardo,
Are you in a position to hire? As a recent graduate of WSU’s political science program I would be happy to edit your post for grammatical and substantive errors to show you the capabilities my classmates learn from WSU’s wonderful LAS school.
If you are hiring, I’d be happy to send plenty of applicants with qualifications who are recent graduates of the WSU LAS school, as well as to help point you in the direction of this article, which is support for the LAS school. Not. as your comment surmises, to point out market demand for certain majors in relation to salary.
Sincerely,
Proud Shocker
Fake Pres. Bardo • Sep 19, 2017 at 1:18 pm
If i wanted to hire a political scientist at 50k a year with benifits, I imagine to see 100s if not more applications from seniors soon to graduate, previous wsu graduates and from around the country. The point is, there are too many LAS students country wide for what the market can support. My advise to you is to majorly raise new student requirements so there are fewer studnets to compete for jobs or learn a trade that isn’t over saturated with applicants for good paying jobs. This is what is called as a market correction to a liberal society that believes everyone should go to college.
As always,
Fake Pres. Bardo