This is a tough time for a lot of Americans – especially young people. You’ve come of age at a time of profound change. The world has gotten more connected, but it’s also gotten more competitive. And for decades, too many of our institutions – from Washington to Wall Street – failed to adapt, culminating in the worst financial crisis and recession since the Great Depression.

For the last three years, we’ve worked to stabilize the economy, and we’ve made some progress. But we still have a long way to go. And now, as you’re getting ready to head out into the world, many of you are watching your friends and classmates struggle to find work. You’re wondering what’s in store for your future, and I know that can be scary.

The truth is, the economic problems we face today didn’t happen overnight, and they won’t be solved overnight. But the fact that you’re investing in your education right now tells me that you believe in the future of America. You want to be a part of it. And you know that there are steps we can take right now to put Americans back to work and give our economy a boost.

The problem is, there are some in Washington who just don’t share that sense of urgency. That’s why it’s been so disappointing to see Republicans in Congress block jobs bills from going forward – bills that independent economists say could create millions of jobs though the kinds of proposals supported by Democrats and Republicans in the past.

Now, the best way to attack our economic challenges and put hundreds of thousands of people back to work is through bold action in Congress. That’s why I’m going to keep demanding that Members of Congress to vote on common-sense, paid-for jobs proposals. And I hope you’ll send them a message to do the right thing for your future, and the future of our country.

But we can’t wait for Congress to do its job. So where they won’t act, I will. That’s why, I’ve announced a new policy that will help families whose home values have fallen refinance their mortgages and save thousands of dollars. We made it easier for veterans to get jobs putting their skills to work in hospitals and community health centers.

And at the University of Colorado at Denver, I announced steps we’re taking to make college more affordable and to make it even easier for students like you to get out of debt faster.

Michelle and I know what it feels like to leave school with a mountain of debt. We didn’t come from wealthy families. By the time we both graduated from law school, we had about $120,000 worth of debt between us. And even though we were lucky enough to land good jobs with steady incomes, it still took us almost 10 years to finally pay it all off. It wasn’t easy.

Living with that much debt forces you to make some tough choices. And when a big chunk of every paycheck goes towards student loans, it isn’t just painful for you – it’s painful to our economy and harmful to our recovery.

That’s why we’re making changes that will give about 1.6 million students the ability to cap their loan payments at 10 percent of their income starting next year. We’re also going to take steps to help you consolidate your loans so that instead of making multiple payments to multiple lenders every month, you only have to make one payment a month at a better interest rate. And we want to start giving students a simple fact sheet called “Know Before You Owe” so you can have all the information you need to make your own decision about paying for college. That’s something Michelle and I wish we had.

These changes will make a real difference for millions of Americans. We’ll help more young people figure out how to afford college. We’ll put more money in your pocket after you graduate. We’ll make it easier to buy a house or save for retirement. And we’ll give our economy a boost at a time when it desperately needs it.

That’s not just important for our country right now – it’s important for our future. Michelle and I are where we are today because our college education gave us a chance. Our parents and their generation worked and sacrificed to hand down the dream of opportunity to us.

Now it’s our turn. That dream of opportunity is what I want for my daughters, and for all of you. And even in these tough times, we are going to make that dream real once again.

In the weeks ahead, I’m going to keep doing everything in my power to make a difference for the American people – including young people like you. Because here in America, when we find a problem, we fix it. When we face a challenge, we meet it. We don’t wait. And I hope you’ll join me.

It was a very warm day in May, clear skies with hardly a breeze. My son and wife are sitting next to me in the stands. It was the beginning of the seventh inning with the score tied between St. Thomas and Hamline. As the teams were taking a break between batters, there appeared a dust tornado about six-feet tall spinning at third base. The dust tornado proceeded to move toward second base, and when it got there, it disappeared. There was no breeze or any movement at the time.

My son turned to me and said, “Looks like God just made himself known.” I was silent but had a smile on my face. People around me shook their heads, and some said, “What was that?” The game went on and my grandson’s team won in the 11th inning. Every time I think of that moment, I think of my invitation and just smile.

— Darhl Nelson

Have a letter? Send it to TommieMedia at tommiemedia@stthomas.edu.

Dear St. Thomas Students,

Once again, it’s the season to begin “us vs. them” conversations about St. Thomas students and the neighbors. Really, give the divisiveness in our larger world, why is this such a surprise? I think we’d all be better off if we tried harder to understand each other, rather than get caught up in the rant of hate. From the letters on tommiemedia, it appears that students think neighbors are unfriendly toward them and have unreasonable expectations. The key issues from this neighbor’s perspective are these: parking, garbage and loudness.

Parking:

Perhaps you don’t know that St. Paul has a 24 hour legal limit on the amount of time allowed on a city street. So you are allowed to come and go (and find somewhere to leave your car) during your classes. Any neighbor who doesn’t like it can pay for those permits the city is happy to sell. But you aren’t allowed to use these streets as your personal parking lot. Aside from being rude, it is illegal. We realized that parking at the St. Thomas lots is ridiculously expensive, but that does not give you the right to use our street, blocking access to our homes, as a place to leave your car for days and days on end.

Garbage:

This a safe neighborhood, in large part due to neighbors like us who chose to live here. Yes, we knew a college was down the street when we moved in. Some of us went to that college. We just never realized how disrespectful so many of the students were. If we had known, perhaps we wouldn’t have bought these homes. Don’t toss your empty beer bottles, McDonald’s food containers, or plastic party cups in our yards.

Loudness:

You have a right to walk these streets. No one is denying you that. But when you walk them after midnight, could you please be a little quieter? We – and our children – are probably asleep. You yelling swear words at each other, talking loudly on your phones, slamming your car doors are all your right – but is that really necessary?

Please ask yourself the next time you leave your car here, toss your beer bottles in our gardens, or hold loud conversations on your cell phone at 2 a.m.: “What if these people didn’t chose to live here? Would I be safe? Would I have chosen to go to this school if the neighborhood around it was like Frogtown? Or like the neighborhood around Concordia?” And then ask yourself if it’s too much to ask that you be a little quieter, to throw your garbage away when you get home, and to use streets for what they are meant for.

Thanks.

Elaine Weber

St. Thomas perhaps does not realize the irony – or does not care – about using “green” cups that cannot be recycled. In point of fact, the cups are compostable at the right facilities, but this would only matter if the school had the infrastructure in place to get them there. This practice of appearing to practice environmental sustainability without actually doing so is often referred to as “greenwashing,” and by all appearances the St. Thomas administration is perfectly content with the results. After all, TommieMedia pointed out the shortcomings in this and other new “green” measures last December. Still the cups remain; an insult to the intelligence of the students who use them.

Part of this problem can be traced to the lack of a coordinated commitment to sustainability at every level of administration. While St. Thomas does have a sustainability committee, industrial and organizational psychologists have long known that there is only so much an isolated part of an organization can accomplish without the awareness and support of the larger community. Currently, this department has limited influence, and often most students are unaware of its environmental initiatives.

This is a shame, because most students do care about environmental issues. A 2008 survey by The Princeton Review found that 63 percent of students would value having information about colleges’ sustainability practices, and that this information might impact their decision of which schools to apply to or attend. Another survey of 240,580 college students conducted by UCLA found that 45.3 percent of respondents rated “adopting ‘green’ practices to protect the environment” as either “essential” or “very important” to them.

Here at St. Thomas, a recent study found that more than 70 percent of students surveyed moderately or strongly agreed with the statement “Protecting the environment is important to me.” Only a tiny minority of 5.6 percent scored neutral or below on this question. Clearly there is a disconnect between what we believe and value and what is actually taking place at St. Thomas.

As an institute of higher learning, we should be on the cutting edge of issues such as sustainability, rather than being dragged along by the trends others set. The best schools already are – Harvard, Yale, Berkeley and other elite academic institutions are the leaders in sustainable practices. Locally, St. Thomas is also falling behind the University of Minnesota, Macalester and others who put a group effort toward more sustainable living rather than token efforts by a small group of concerned stakeholders. This should be especially embarrassing for a Christian institution, since we are failing both as academics and as stewards of creation.

The good news is that we can make real improvements if everyone just does a little. You can help out with simple contributions such as turning off lights, unplugging large electronics at night and taking the stairs instead of the elevator. All these behaviors are relatively easy and help reduce our energy consumption.

Even more importantly, write a short message to the administration to let them know sustainability matters to you. Ultimately, the school will listen to its students if we actually make the small effort to voice our values. If enough of us get the message out there, St. Thomas will make protecting the environment for all of us a priority instead of just an afterthought.

Chris Huber is a senior at the University of St. Thomas.

I understand that you have issues with your school or place of employment for not having affordable and adequate parking. Instead of taking that issue up with the school, you have sought out parking in the neighborhood, making your problem ours. We have lived here for 15 years and I have never seen it like this.

Here is some of what your problem is costing this neighborhood.

Cars parked in Lot A behind Ireland Hall. (Gina Dolski/TommieMedia)

We have to wait until either really late or weekends to do grocery shopping because we have no place to park close to our homes and unload our groceries. This means on weekends where we could spend time with our kids, we are running big errands. You have made it hard for delivery trucks to pick up or drop things off.

All winter you have left our small kids and the elderly who live in the neighborhood to climb over huge snow mounds because you blocked walks. You also left them to walk long icy paths from alley to house where some have slipped. You parked during snow emergencies where plows had to go around to dig only you out and leave the neighborhood to have to clean up all the snow off the street because the plows could not keep up this year. You have sat in your car with it running to eat your lunch. Thanks for the additional fresh air.

If we have to run to pick up our kids or any short trip (like coffee with a friend) you have taken that joy away because we know that we will not have a place to park when we return.

You have raced down our streets and turned around fast because you are in a hurry (this puts the young kids in danger). You have tossed your cigarette butts on the boulevard, as well as your garbage, which has made its way to our yards and streets. You have spit on our sidewalks.

There is more … a lot more.

Because you will not take the battle on to solve your problem, you have left this whole area seeking permit parking only. We have to take time out and away from our kids to have meetings with the city. We have to pay to park on our streets – the ones that we pay property taxes to fix and maintain.

Thank you for caring about how you walk through the world and who you affect. Above all, thank you for making your smaller problem our bigger problem.

Christine Anderson, St. Thomas neighbor

Perhaps you instead just happen to be checking your mailbox in MHC and see a line 100 students long in front of the Box Office. You ask what they are all waiting for and prepare for the keen agony felt by those who have been left out. For a brief moment you imagine the fun that will be had by those who actually have the time to wait in line for the rush at the Box Office, but you quickly forget your woes and shuffle along to class. You tell yourself, “Somebody else will enjoy that trip.”

The problem is you will likely be consoling yourself more often than you will be proudly pocketing tickets to the fantastic events you see on the fliers. Most students are too busy to bother with a rush on the Box Office. Meanwhile, those who happen to have nothing better to do than sit in a line for an hour or two will reap all the benefits.

Is this fair, considering that you are paying about $200 a year for a “student activity fee,” 60 percent of which is allocated to STAR for events such as this? Why is it that the few people who happen to have free time at noon Tuesdays – because they are not otherwise occupied with class, work, or club meetings – are the only ones able to benefit from these outstanding programs put together by STAR? Do I have your attention yet?

There is a better way to share the student activity fee. I have several suggestions that would accomplish this, though there are other approaches. What is important is that students recognize the issue and petition the STAR Committee to mobilize change. Otherwise, the few who are sedentary or lucky will continue to be the exclusive beneficiaries of the resources that belong to everyone.

I want to make it clear that the activities I am referring to only make up a small portion of the programming STAR plans over the course of an academic year. I think STAR does a good job of serving the diverse interests of the student body by providing programs in the areas of lectures, music, entertainment, expeditions, community building, cultural celebration and various special events. The events that cause the rush at the Box Office are the wildly popular expeditions with typical prices between $5 and $10 and limited spots available. The three suggestions below should be considered only for this specific classification of events, from here on called “expeditions.”

I am not saying expeditions should be discontinued, but rather that the planning and execution of ticket sales should be actively and thoughtfully managed. This is a process that should be continued and refined from year to year. It would not take much additional effort, but the impact on the satisfaction of students would be significant. Although some will never be happy, discontent about the equal opportunity to benefit from the allocation of funds would be much improved.

Special attention should be given to the popularity of each expedition. This could be measured by the number of people turned away from the Box Office when ticket sales end, or by instigating an online registration procedure that keeps track of the number of ticket inquiries. Based on this knowledge, STAR could refine the process by which it allocates funds to each expedition to allow for more slots at the more popular ones.

Students should be limited in the number of expeditions they participate in. These are unique opportunities to build community with other students and enjoy an exciting activity at a price palatable to any college student, but there are only a few opportunities available and a large student body to serve. Students will naturally have varying preferences about the expeditions they like best – let them choose their favorite one or two as opposed to attending them all indiscriminately because it is such a good deal.

A measure that may aid in implementing the two suggestions above would be a survey of the student body concerning possible expeditions for a given year. In the same way that students are asked to vote for their favorite bands as STAR plans fall and spring concerts, they could vote for their top 10 expedition choices for the following year from a list of restaurant excursions, up-and-coming shows, sporting events and activities such as skiing and ice skating.

At the beginning of the year, a full list of excursion opportunities could be published, and the students informed that they are eligible to attend two or three to allow as many people as possible the opportunity to attend one.

These suggestions are simple, but not trivial. If implemented by STAR, they could eliminate the current advantage held by a privileged few. What can you do? If you want to take direct action in mobilizing change, join the STAR Committee (more information at http://www.stthomas.edu/star/getinvolved/default.html). At the very least, you can voice your opinion via STAR’s website (http://www.stthomas.edu/star/contact/default.html).

It may mean that you never again have to walk away from a STAR flier in dismay telling yourself, “Somebody else will enjoy that trip.”

Matthew J. Deutsch
Senior, Mechanical Engineering Major

As often happens, the ability of the driver of the car ahead and me to see any possible pedestrians planning to cross Summit was blocked by a van parked illegally just east of the crosswalk in a no-parking zone.

As the driver ahead of me approached a position where he/she could see the sidewalk at the crosswalk, he/she hit the brake just a little, but not for long …The brake lights briefly flashed, and he/she kept moving right along. I suppose we were doing around 20-25 mph, certainly well below the posted 30 mph.

I might add that the roads had a light covering of snow from the flurries we have been experiencing the last week or so almost daily.

When I was able to see the sidewalk at the crosswalk, around the front of the van, I saw two male students moving in front of the van in the crosswalk.

This all happened so fast that all I could do is hit the brakes and hope I could stop — no time to even blow the horn. The students did not look in my direction at all, just walked along like there was no auto traffic there. My car and I slid right through the crosswalk. There was no chance of stopping, maybe not even if the pavement was dry.

I do not know what prevented my hitting the students, but I suppose they caught my car out of the corner of their eyes, and they stopped short of my passing. It was really close.

I might add that somewhat the same situation exists for pedestrian traffic moving from the south side of Summit, north near Finn Street. There is less chance of a vehicle blocking drivers’ vision of the crossing, but the law outlined below applies here as well, of course. The object is to not force a driver to slam on the brakes because of late entry into the crosswalk.

So, what is happening here?  Two things, with the darn vans, buses and cars parking too close to the crosswalk on the east side. Sometimes I see them actually blocking part or all of the crossing, and obviously students (all pedestrians really) do not understand the law involving crosswalks and also do not take their safety into consideration as one should in crossing the street. Anybody crossing any street should expect vehicles at any time from any direction and should look in every direction before proceeding out into the street.

In reading the law, one will find out that a crosswalk does not guarantee the pedestrian a free passage safe from all vehicles passing by. First, lots of drivers ignore or are ignorant of the law.

Second, the law stating that vehicles must stop only applies to when the pedestrian is actually off the curb and into the crosswalk, not when they are still on the curb or approaching the crosswalk.

Third, the law requires the pedestrian to judge whether the vehicle can make a safe stop short of the crosswalk BEFORE they step into the crosswalk, something very few pedestrians around St. Thomas do.

Forcing a passing vehicle to slam on its brakes can cause sliding of vehicles into pedestrians or collisions by following vehicles not expecting to stop. Unfortunately, vehicles are required to stop any time a pedestrian is off the curb, and sometimes this is sudden.

Somehow we need to prevent vehicles from illegally parking and stopping anywhere near this crossing. Perhaps a bump out or a fence along the curb would help here. Getting actual police enforcement of course is hard to do.

I would hate to see injuries or death resulting from this dangerous area.

This might also be a good time to remind students that they MUST press the pedestrian crossing buttons at the Cretin/Summit intersection in order to get a walk light and a longer crossing time. They must be reminded that they are not crossing legally when there is a “do not walk” sign, and there are left turns that prevent crossing until the green arrow goes off, so don’t cross unless you have a “walk” sign.

Scott Heiderich, St. Thomas neighbor

Firstly, the author puts forth the idea that “St. Thomas is an institution for education and enlightenment therefore the only enlightened position about it is ‘DON’T.’” However, education involves multiple viewpoints and the rights of all students and faculty to make their own decisions.

The second point argues “we already make life tough on smokers.” Perhaps we’re missing the point; is the author suggesting we should make life harder? It seems a contradiction for an institution, which prides itself on openness and inclusion. The final point listed in the article proposes that forcing smokers to go longer periods of time without cigarettes will curb their habit. In our opinion, it is a personal decision to smoke and/or quit and St. Thomas has no business infringing on personal rights. It seems a far stretch to assume a ban would be the sole solution to ending such a habit.

The authors of this letter come from non-smoking backgrounds and continue to be non-smoking members of the St. Thomas community. While we appreciate smokers who respect the boundaries currently in place, we feel that expanding these boundaries would be a violation of personal choice. The St. Kate’s community, which has recently enforced a smoking ban on campus, is now facing safety concerns for students who are forced to leave campus after dark to smoke. Perhaps these students would disagree with the original article’s conclusion that “the only loser would be state governments that tax cigarettes” if a ban was in place.

Allyssa Mashak and Georgina Boyle, Seniors

You’re cared about.

We know, it sounds silly and super vague, but we’re being honest. You are cared about- right now, in this very moment. And we aren’t just speaking for ourselves. Of course we care about you, but so do many other people. Your dad, your brother or your sister, your pets and your baby cousins. Your peers. Your best friend. The advisers of your clubs. Your high school English teacher. Your RA. Your significant other. Your mom. The kids you babysit for. Maybe you know that all of these people care about you. Maybe you picked out one or two. But the point is that you matter and you are loved. Your very existence is powerful and means something. It means that right now you are exactly who you are meant to be.

You have somewhere to go and are supported.

There are places on this very campus. There is Allies. A club on campus that exists to support LGBTQA students; to give you a place to feel safe and accepted and at home. This is a place to express yourself, to be who you are, to become a family. We meet every single week in the same place, at the same time, Wednesdays at 6 p.m. in OEC 212. Maybe that’s not your thing, or it seems a bit overwhelming right now, like something you aren’t quite sure if you’re comfortable with. There is still a place for you and it’s called The Space. This is a place for students who identify as queer or questioning. It’s anonymous and confidential, a place that is unknown by anyone but the people who are in it . Please contact one of us for more information –  just send an e-mail. This is a place, or a space, to figure out who you are, where you can be surrounded by people who not only support you but understand you.
Seek out these places. They’re here just for you.

It gets better.

Maybe it seems like you have nowhere to go. Or maybe it feels like you’re stuck and completely isolated. Or maybe it feels like you just can’t handle everything you’re thinking and feeling.
But this is a process. A tough one. It takes strength, courage and other people. It takes seeking out those places and recognizing the love that exists. It takes knowing that you matter and that you are worth it. And knowing that you can do it.
And remember, it gets better. We promise.

Love,
Jess Novak & Nick Kor
Nova6191@stthomas.edu
nnkor@stthomas.edu

When I look back at my high school days, I find it hard to believe I was not involved in any activities. Band or choir? Nope. Hockey, football, track or soccer? Negative. Theatre or student government? Not even on the radar. Coming to St. Thomas made me realize all those missed opportunities to get involved and meet so many new friends. During orientation I really looked for new opportunities. Sure enough, I happened upon the USG booth and heard about the freshman elections held the second week of school.

I decided I would run for freshman class president. This was a big undertaking for someone who knew almost no one or the job description. Despite those setbacks and the fact that I had no idea how to run a student government campaign, I had an amazing time meeting many new people. I knocked on doors, shook hands and passed out fliers.

Somehow, I came away with the job. Once class president, I had an incredible time throughout the year working with the freshman council to put on events, and met more people. I’ve learned so much about the school and the people that make it what it is. Yet, I still have a lot to learn.

I made sure to sign up for more groups and activities this year, including Student Alumni Council and Tommie Ambassadors. In the spring, I ran another campaign for class president and was lucky enough to get the job again.

I never imagined the opportunities that awaited me at St. Thomas. After being here for one year I’ve only scratched the surface. I’m still learning the system and I meet new people everyday.

These experiences over the past year surprised me for sure and they all started during welcome week. My message to the class of 2014 is that over these next few weeks, shake as many hands, go to as many events, and sign up for as many things as you can. Most students would agree with me that getting the real college experience is contained in your involvement on campus, whether it’s clubs, sports or organizations. Go for it. You’ll have no regrets.

Mike Orth