TSU: Firing Back
A caring college: I want to compliment the newspaper and others on pointing out the most negative aspects about TSU ["Books, Bullets and Guns," by Mosi Secret, March 17]. What happened to Miss Sloan is very unfortunate, and my prayers are with her and her family. But for you to portray my school as being a war zone, and taking comments from only those who have had a bad experience at TSU, is very offensive to me.
I love Texas Southern University. Sure, there are problems here, but you find a place without problems and point me in that direction. Better yet, don't, because I would not want to be the person who defiles such a holy place.
If half the effort were given to improving TSU as is to destroying it, this would be the No. 1 university in the nation. TSU is filled with concerned professors and administrators. Even the janitors act as counselors and advisers. They welcome the sometimes unruly students and act as godparents and mentors to many.
Nowhere else in this city will you find a relationship between students and staff like at TSU. They not only teach philosophy, English and history, they teach morals, ethics, pride and self-respect. TSU accepts the people society frowns upon, and embraces them with loving arms. I pledge my allegiance to the school. It is a cornerstone not only to this city but to this nation, and a perfect example of what God can do with very little.
Persecution is to be expected when you are the light in darkness. TSU, you are that light shining so brightly.
Jamie D. Hart
Houston
Faculty hang-ups:Security is not the only problem at TSU. The faculty and staff suck also. I encountered a problem with a teacher about my grades last semester. I called the teacher to discuss my grades and to see all my scores from his class.
He stated that he would not help me, and he hung up on me. He is not the only one who does not care; the campus is full of them. Ask students about their professors, and you'll have another story to print. The heads of the departments don't care either. All they care about is you paying your fees.
Kimberly D. Cook
Houston
Mediocre pursuits:Mismanagement. This is what's behind the apathy, lack of competence, lack of professionalism and all the other problems that plague not only TSU's security but its functioning as a learning institution, period.
When complaints, crimes and tragedies like Ashley's death arise, the common responses by the administration and, in this instance, apartment management are to try to justify tuition/fee/rent hikes, to wonder aloud why students don't come to them before going to a third party (like HPD or lawyers), or to try to shift responsibility to the students/residents. Responsibility and professionalism are free and not hard to grasp.
As a student and former resident of Greystone and University Courtyard, I know all too well of the mismanagement and crime that dwell there. The majority of the CAs don't monitor parties, guests or the entrances to the complexes after curfew hours on weekends, where illegal substances, alcohol and fights are all too common.
When TSU's laundry hits the media, the administration and some TSU personnel (that I've personally heard) dismiss it as "ignorant," "vindictive" and the all-time fave: "All institutions have their problems -- white schools do it, too."
It's a damn shame that one organization is so single-minded in its pursuit of ignominious mediocrity. Thanks for the time and attention you've given to these incidents.
Name withheld by request
Houston
