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17
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What
comments, if any, would you like to make about Pitzer College? What should
we do more of? What should we do less of? What problems should be addressed?
What assets should be highlighted?
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| 1 | keep the dream alive! |
| 2 | As much as we pride ourselves in being a different school, we can't completely separate ourselves from some of the things other schools do, like look at SAT scores of students who are applying. We are in a difficult situation - we want to be known to be a school that thinks outside of the box, and yet we need to establish ourselves as a professional, credible institution. |
| 3 | I
think this question might require greater clarity.
Thanks for allowing all staff/faculty a chance to contribute to this process. |
| 4 | It is not bad to have students who are academically motivated, or have the type of intelligence that shows through SAT scores. One problem I have with Pitzer is that the intellectualism is seen as unnecessary, in any amount. I think that Pitzer needs to emphasize the academic side of the school as much as it emphasizes the active, socially conscious side. |
| 5 | I transferred after year and really love it here..couldn't be happier, but I think we need more intellectual events outside of class, I think the diversity issue needs to be addressed though. |
| 6 | Pitzer needs to stay focused on being non-traditional. It seems to be moving away from that. Doing away with the SATs would be a step in the right direction. |
| 7 | One more point on S.A.T.'s. It is rather hypocritical, in my view, to have a school that puts so much emphasis on individuality and personal and social responsibility to use an homogenious test to determine who can and canot attend the college. I think that the very things Pitzer stands for is what made me choose it as a school. However, there seems to be a general attitude among students that if anything is an accepted and mainstream ideal, it must be wrong. While it is important to questions laws, lawmakers, and wrongdoings, it would be more beneficial if Pitzer did some more activities with their ideological counterpart CMC. It is only through actually seeing both sides of a controversial topic that people can accuretly make up their mind. Pitzer also needs to find a balance between maintaing its identity of being an institution that values individuality while still being able to have rgerous standards so that a degree from here has more sway in life after college. |
| 8 | Enhance career services so that those who graduate and get jobs can participate in alumni giving. |
| 9 | improve
retention of students; do a better job of diagnosing where students are
(rather
than where faculty is) and start teaching from where students are |
| 10 | We need better facilities and especially better residential buildings. The drug and alcohol policy should be more strictly enforced. I would really like for Pitzer to raise its rank which is being dragged down by low retention. I think that this is due largely to the bad living environment. The students seem to get the lowest priority here in many ways. |
| 11 | chomp my enormous cock |
| 12 | we need to work on eliminating the stereotype that pitzer tend to conform to |
| 13 | I would like Pitzer to recruit more students of color, go out to the communities and make it an appealing place for students of color to come to. |
| 14 | I think Pitzer should also consider ACT and SAT II test scores as well as extracurricular activities. Also, the admission board should try to determine wheter or not the applicant is serious and committed enough to handle being in college. Too often I've encountered students who were only in college for the fun times, not to learn. |
| 15 | Often I feel frusterated that this school's academic reputation is far too low. I think this campus has too many drugs like cocaine and opium and possibly herion. This is a concern to me. Pot and alcohol are normal for any college but the hard core drugs could effect the reputation of this school. This school's admission process is already better than most, having recently been accepted. Abolishing the SAT as a guide to the students ability is ridiculous. SAT can often prove that a student might not have the grades but is talented enough to be accepted. |
| 16 | I think that pitzer does a good job of only makng the people who are liberal, radical, etc. welcome more effort to show both sides of issues needs to be enforced |
| 17 | Too many people simply "float by" and do not take their education seriously. This is discouraging for serious students, who find themselves misfits at Pitzer. As a result, many of these students look to transfer, or look to other Claremont Colleges to fill this void. I speak for myself and several of my peers on this issue. |
| 18 | Nothing in regards to the SAT. I do think we need to see an increase in the number of students of color who we admit. |
| 19 | You should focus less on image of the student body. Most people here do not care if Pitzer's "reputation" is tarnished. If people are interested in making $100,000 their first year out of collage they should go to a different school. |
| 20 | what happened to racial diversity? why are we over our 800 student charter? |
| 21 | i am a student concerned with the direction that pitzer is headed in. it appears that pitzer is becoming much less selective and diverse in admissions. although i do not support the sat, i am afraid that if pitzer did away with it, we would become even less academic and selective with future admissions. it is still possible to find brilliant students who will contribute well to the pitzer campus, however, who may not have outstanding sat scores. i am very afraid that pitzer is losing its unique pitzer spirit, and more than anything i hope that pitzer does not turn into a dumping ground for pomona and cmc rejects. |
| 22 | -SAT
tests may be biased, but they are the only measure we have to see the capability
of students. Students who do not do well on the SAT (regardless of underprivilaged
education) will not do well at Pitzer (or any other college of Pitzer's
caliber). A student, even if they had an underprivileged education, who
works hard to excel on the SAT will excel at Pitzer or any other college.
-Mandatory labs for science classes should be counted as a credit course. Labs require as much time and effort, in lab and out of lab, as any other class. Please consider giving science students credit for labs. |
| 23 | I love Pitzer. This is the only school that I went to that I loved before my last two weeks there. Pitzer has a reputation for being out there, in front on may "social" issues. Unfortunately, the recent events in Y200 and the avoidence of the Worker Support Committee has put a black eye on that image. This could be a strong step for the administration to re-gain credibility with the students in light of these recent events. |
| 24 | I
think it's the arrogance of the MEMEME attitude that destroys community
so quickly... I've become frustrated at the micro-community of even an
8 person suite in Mead. 7 people stack their dishes in the sink with full,
individual intentions to do them later; what happens when the 8th person
wants to do his dishes now? The mentality is "Part of this community property
is mine!" while it should be "A whole lot more people than just me have
a right to this community property." People will take from "the community"
but they're far less willing to give back unless it's certain they'll receive
something in an immediate and gratifying way. How dare these so-called
activists denounce the evils of capitalism while conducting their lives
in a manner that looks after the needs of the self before the group, that
considers contribution for the greater good of the group an outside occurance
rather than an expected duty.
There is no community at Pitzer. It's a term so vague that it means nothing and everything at the same time. I believe there should be a clearly defined definition of what community is and some kind of structure to educate students on what that definition is. |
| 25 | i think that i scored fairly low on my sat test, yet at the same time, i was accepted by pitzer. this just proves how pitzer is already pretty liberal when considering students' sat scores. i don't think that pitzer needs to change any of its sat polices. i beleive that if pitzer changed its sat policies, it would lower its status |
| 26 | I think a substance abuse problem should be addressed. I think there should also be more interaction between students and faculty. I like the friendliness of the student body. |
| 27 | we should spend less time pursuing stupid cuases like this. Real cuase are one thing , but this is rediculous. |
| 28 | sports should be supported more by pitzer and not just by pomona college. |
| 29 | I wish that I could get more merit based scholorship. Many collegs I was accepted to gave me automatic scholorship out of hs for my gpa and sat, and told me i would be able to keep it every year if i kept my grades high enough. Pitzer gave me squat, they gave me $820 in grant $, how the hell do you come up with a number like that? I know plety of people here on work study and scholorship and I am not one of them and b/c of that I have thousands of dollors in loans in my name, some in my parents names, and I work all summer to give Pitzer all my money. I held a 3.7 GPA in h.s. and a 3.3 cum. here, I just want money or work study or something as a reward! I love Pitzer but I wonder if it's really worth all this just for an undergrad education, I can go to comperable liberal arts colleges for 10,000 less! |
| 30 | Pitzer should DEFINITELY be 1000 times more selective of their students and should put more effort into making sure we have a quality student body rather than accepting students because they can pay full tuition. The high quality professors deserve high quality students. Students who are here to learn should not be constantly brought down by a majority of the student body. |
| 31 | Have a minimum standard on the SATs. No one with less than at least a 1200 should be under consideration. |
| 32 | We need more diversity in the student population |
| 33 | pitzer should do less self-analyzing to the point that it thinks it's image is more important than what is actually going on here. Pitzer should stop trying to mainstream itself. Pitzer should not grow to a thousand students. Pitzer should keep its upperclassmen on-campus, and not try to worry about how to create community from the top down. Students either create the community or there isn't going to be one. oh man how can i articulate it all. Pitzer NEEDS a more diverse racial makeup! Community will be here when the students are creating one! |
| 34 | There needs to be more communication between administration and students. Both need to behave in a socially responsible manner (i.e. students stop vandalizing property, stealing things and abusing priveledges and administration be clear and consistent when dealing with such issues). As much as I love it here I can totally understand why so many students transfer out or don't finish at Pitzer. It would be nice to break that trend which is only going to happen when the campus atmosphere lines up with the campus mission statement. |
| 35 | This school looks like we are paying 8,000 dollars a year rather that 32,000 dollars a year. We need to take pride in the look of our campus. We need more trees and more "hiding places." There is a serious lack of communication between faculty, staff, administration and students. I know this is not the real world, but I also don't have to deal with some of the stuff this school puts out. I love my professors and I like the general education requirements, but in all the foundation of Pitzer is a bit hypocritical. |
| 36 | Accademics should be held in the highest regard above other considerations. |
| 37 | More Diversity!!!! |
| 38 | See above |
| 39 | I'm sick of us trying to be Pomona. While raising academic standards is great, what makes Pitzer special is a kooky student body. It's also really disappointing that so very few minority students chose to come to Pitzer this year. |
| 40 | Pitzer
College should do more to educate incoming students about their privilages
and related responsibilities (ie. you probably won't get busted for walking
around with a cup of beer, but you are responsible for picking up broken
beer bottles/not breaking them in the first place). I also think more personal,
direct communication with students is necessary in cases of theft, vandalism,
fire violations, etc when groups of innocent students are charged and often
fined for some unknown party's illicit action. I know this isn't really
the ideal context to address the policy of holding the smallest identifiable
group responsible for violations of the student handbook, but I will anyway.
If the person(s) responsible for a particular theft or act of vandalism
cannot be identified, instead of punishing the inhabitants of the closest
hallway or dorm, hold all the students at Pitzer College responsible. That
lessens the amount of money charged to each individual and avoids punishing
only the victims. One more thing on this topic. In the case of stolen furniture
(say from the Mead laundry room), why not consult with the residents being
charged with replacing the furniture if they have any desire to replace
the furniture? I have had things stolen from me in the past and not replaced
them. I have never used the furniture in the laundry room or seen it being
used. This is probably because no one wants to hang out in a loud, humid
room that just has a bunch of laundry in it.
As for highlights, the vast majority of the faculty are very involved in and passionate about their field(s) of study. Small class size is great for having meaningful discussions. Though school policy is not always consistent concerning the autonomy of the students, generally speaking students here have many opportunities to take part in their eduaction, community, activities/events, and the like. One of my favorite things about Pitzer is the freedom students have in setting up their classes and concentrations. |
| 41 | It would seem as if the admissions office no longer reads anything but the bare application and possibly the SATs; the quality of students coming into Pitzer is often so lacking that I find it hard to believe that they're not just letting anyone in nowadays. The essays that are included in the application are just as important as the transcript and other criteria, as they give insight into the applicant as a person. |
| 42 | More advisor and elder student advisement, more contact with teachers and students. |
| 43 | Pitzer is wonderful. I did not get into Pitzer cause I had high SAT's scores as you can already tell from what I have written up above. I think this is a start in finding answers and changing the ways in which the system has already been operating for so many years. More power to Pitzer for embarking on such a journey. However, there needs to be more intervention between the students, faculty, and administrators. I am speaking especially in regards to what has most recently taken place with the enforcement of a new or unknown drug and alcohol policy. We need to come together as a community and open dialogue between us, the students and the administrators here at Pitzer. There needs to be a more productive but yet not too inhibitive of an approach from the school to cordially and sincerely get involved with what the students are going through. More but proper intervention from the school is what is most needed here on campus. |
| 44 | For good or ill, Pitzer has a strong drug culture. Although this is a problem and it does need to be addressed, I feel that the school and the deans are going about it in the wrong way. Instead of punishing it we should better educate students about the effects and dangers and give people an avenue where they can feel safe talking to faculty if they have a problem or having people report situations they are worried about to faculty without fearing that they will get someone in trouble who they only wish to help. |
| 45 | Currently a senior I have seen Pitzer "change." Maybe for the worse or the better students are less likely to be active or a member of the community. In prior years anyone was approachable. This is not true anymore. Staff are less available too. Maybe, it is because they all live further away now. |
| 46 | The endless educational opportunities available at Pitzer are a blessing. Everyone here has the opportunity to succeed by accomplishing their educational/career objectives. The drug problem should be addressed, if there were more to do on and around campus, less people would feel the need to use drugs so frequently. Pitzer is on an uptrend, and I think we should remove the blemishes that taint pitzers name. Overall, I believe this will help everyone by increasing the worth of a Pitzer degree. |
| 47 | Our greatest asset are the professors here who make classes unique in their distinct language and life story. Pitzer does not need to mainstream itslef as the rest of the country is doing. There is no point in attracting higher paying students because we should be learning about living with less comforts not more. There is an inportance for financial aid to be given but this should be coming in grants and donations that seem to be misplaced or not properly spent. We have mainstream schools and this one was not founded for the reasons that the other colleges were. Keep it unique and keep it small adn forget about big money we can make do somehow for that is what we are here learning how to do. |
| 48 | Too many kids are being admitted with high SAT scores and obviously priveledged backgrounds, that do not care about Pitzer. They are not involved in activities on cmapus except partying. And we wonder why there's so much destruction of community property and drug abuse. A bunch of rich kids with time and money. |
| 49 | student quality should be looked at a little more carefully |
| 50 | I believe Pitzer has become increasingly liberal in their admissions policies. I see people here all of the time who DO NOT contribute to the academic community and do not belong here. I am a very hard working student and I cherish the opportunity that I have been given to attend such a fine school. When I see students here who were admitted under questionable merit, I begin to wonder how this occurred. I even have heard of students here who didn’t even graduate from high school. I wish more than anything that Pitzer would step up the selectivity of its admissions both for the sake of the academic environment and the reputation of the school. I want to be proud of graduating from Pitzer College. When I leave here and go out into the world, I do not want my school to have a negative reputation. |
| 51 | I know some freshman boys who are starting a fraternity. Who knows if it will ever be more than a bad joke, but I think that Pitzer should be careful not to become like CMC. I love the quirky, laid-back people and lifestyle here. I chose this school specifically because it doesn't have fraternities/sororities. Please keep it that way. Also, watch how many spoiled rick kids you let in. They tend to be (I realize I am making a sweeping generalization) very disrespectful not only to people but to our beautiful surroundings, ex. throwing trash everywhere, writing stupid things on dorm walls, etc. Thank you. |
| 52 | The intellectual community at the school should be nourished and strengthened. |
| 53 | I think that for the college to pride itself in higher education, that it's acceptance standards should be a little more demanding. There is no way that Pitzer graduates will be taken seriously if the school is not ranked nationally. We want to be proud of our school. A better reputation sometimes does offer more opportunities and better jobs. This in turn will help the school in the long run. |
| 54 | I think extensive attention should be paid to recruiting African-American students. Since my employment here at Pitzer in June, I have advised the admissions office that I would do whatever possible to increase the number of African-American students here. |
| 55 | None |
| 56 | If our academic specialties really do countenance the kind of research this questionnaire constitutes, then the College needs to rethink its mission ... unless, of course, academic reputation is no longer a matter of much consequence. |
| 57 | The selection of admission counselor and the office staff should be more diverse. As well as most office on campus in the senior staffing positions. If there goal is to recruit more African American, then provide the needed support for these students. One or two faculty members, office workers isn't enough. We need representation in key positions. We need to stop burning out our one or two minority staff/faculty members. Provide them the support they need. Admission needs to work more collaboratively with the Dean of Students Early Academic Outreach Office. |
| 58 | Costs
are always an issue; Pitzer is too young and untried (still) to be charging
so much.
More aid for students. More mix will apply if they (students) know Pitzer is willing to offer aid. Pitzer needs to become a known quantity. Students still don't know the name, even though it has been almost 30 years alive. There are other issues I could see being addressed, but I don't want to discuss them in this survey. |
| 59 | This is my first year, and I love every inch of Pitzer and what it has to offer. I am looking toward the end of the semester with sadness, because it means I only have seven left. The opportunities at Pitzer abound, both social and academic, and I feel challenged in every sense of the word. I would particularly like to emphasize my delight at the Fireside Chats for their stimulation... they are part of why Pitzer College is such a little-known intellectual treasure, and I'd like to keep it that way. Going mainstream not only detracts from all that Pitzer has to offer, but all of its potential. Staying small, elite, and focused on the present and the future is part of what makes this school so warm. |
| 60 | In the effort to attract more "qualified" students (with higher scores) and get into the top tier of liberal arts colleges, I fear that we may be losing sight of valuable qualities in students that are not easily tested. In the long run Pitzer may lose its unique niche among liberal arts colleges as a place where creativity and critical thinking are very much alive. |
| 61 | I think that from talking to people and maybe I'm talking to the wrong people or haven't talked to enough people but what people have said to me is that there's a perception of our classes being easy and not challenging academically. In writing this I realize that I could ask people to be more specific about what is challenging and what isn't. |
| 62 | i think that in the past, pitzer did a good job of stressing individual talent over one's academic index number, but pitzer needs to maintain a standard similar to the nation. |
| 63 | Pitzer should focus on it's committment to social responsibility and stop focusing on whether it's image is good and whether students who have had good opportunities for education think Pitzer is good enough for them. I came to Pitzer worrying about that...but now I think I probably go to the best college in the nation. |
| 64 | If
students are admitted with lower SAT scores, Pitzer should be committed
to helping them overcome the difficulties such scores represent. Students
with deficits should be encouraged to remedy them, not avoid more rigorous
courses as I believe happens now, too frequently. I think there also needs
to be explicit counseling to address issues such as stereotype-threat and
test anxiety which I have found to be common among less well-prepared students.
SAT scores might be used to identify students for such interventions. The
idea that SAT has no bearing on real-world performance is untrue and students
who cannot do the SAT to a reasonable standard (e.g., mid 400's)will not
do any better in other contexts because verbal and math skills are fundamental.
I also find myself wondering whether a different wording or ordering of the questions in this survey would produce different results, and the extent to which that has been taken into account in designing the survey. Any faculty member will likely have high SATs, so arguing that those with high SATs consider them important while those with low scores do not, will be specious. There seems to already be a perception that Pitzer courses are not as rigorous as those at other Claremont campuses. If admission of less well-prepared students (by eliminating one measure of preparation) results in a further decline in the difficulty of Pitzer courses, I doubt the benefits of diversity will be sufficient to attract better-prepared students to Pitzer. They will not come if they believe they cannot also get a first-rate education. Pitzer should build on its strength as a place to encounter the world, not become a place to hide from the demands of math, science, and formal language. |
| 65 | I think that the essay portion of admissions is most valuable as a addmission tool because it allows you to see the depth of people, there are so many different kinds of smarts, why just focus on book smarts. |
| 66 | In my opinion, the College is near crisis. If deep change doesn't occur soon, this is going to be a pointless institution. |
| 67 | We should do more community-based education. We should not support corporate agendas, like the KGI. We should support student rights within Student Affairs. This is an amazing school and nowhere else have I ever found such amazing dialogue. |
| 68 | I am so grateful that I was informed about the New Resources program at Pitzer College. I feel that Pitzer has given me 1000 times more than I ever expected and tell everyone that I am a student! Pitzer should be proud of their programs for all of their students. I value the small class size where I can share my thoughts as well as hear other student's opinions. The professors are of the highest quality and continually challenge me to grow. One problem I do see is that when the students complain about an issue on campus, they are placated and treated like children. The students I have come into contact with may be young, but they deserve to be treated as adults and not a group of ignorant troublemakers. The students who do protest or complain have genuine concerns and it is insulting to them and bothers me that those in power (ie. President Massey) treat them with so little respect. Some of the mass emails on various topics of concern to large numbers of Pitzer students have received pats on the head and assurances that something will be done, but later those assurances are revoked. This practice leaves little hope that any public protest will ever result in real change for the better. Just because someone is inexperienced is not a valid reason to devalue their opinion or efforts. Fortunately, not all of Pitzer's heirarchy behaves this way. |
| 69 | Pitzer is a great college! I feel very priveledged to be going here. Very strong academics in a mind-freeing liberal arts atmosphere. Perhaps Pitzer should begin an outreach program in more minortiy high schools and community colleges. |
| 70 | Definately
the problem of lower enrollment of students of color each year.
More outreach and maintain constant and consistant interaction with the lower-income communities in Los Angeles and the Inland Valley by providing the same info. as schools like Claremont High may get. |
| 71 | Pitzer is exactly the type of school that should abolish SAT's as a facet of the admissions process. Emphasize the focus on the individual, because afterall that is what is important. The Pitzer Community and its diversity should also be emphasized. I feel that Pitzer Administration needs to stop worrying about how good the school looks on paper because that isn't what an education should be about. That is why I came to Pitzer. Students here care a lot about the world and their community, which I believe is very unique. Many kids go to college to get their parents off their backs and to party. Pitzer is different and I belive that is something to be proud of. Also, I think the administration needs to work more with the students and faculty, because after only a month of being here, I feel like they work against us and only put on a show of friendship. Hey I could be wrong, but first impressions are rather lasting. |
| 72 | Many people think that Pitzer is a Liberal college, but in reality the college is composed of many people who fear change and who fear straying too far from the college norm. I think not using the S.A.T. as a measurement for admission would be a great asset to the college. However I believe that too many people will be afraid to try it. |
| 73 | Lets take a bold stand, and acknowledge that standardized tests are limited at best, and more likely, prejudicial against certain groups. Lets admit students based on GPA, admission essays/interviews, and other recommendations. |
| 74 | We should continue to keep our standards and expectations high for all aspects of the college. Students should be expected to show up on time for work study jobs, complete academic courses with high performance, and behave in a manner that reflects good common values for all people. As an alum and Pitzer parent, I am extremely concerned about the standards and behaviors at Pitzer at the 21st Century. I would be happy to speak to a college representative about this. Susan Warren |
| 75 | This
survey isn't the place for gathering answers to this question. Your sample
will not be representative of the faculty, partly because it is run by
you (Halford) and partly because some people may have trouble filling it
out (it took me four tries to get the damn thing to work).
But sticking to the topic of this survey, what we should do is lead the way for all of American higher education in using the SAT in a judicious and thoughtful way, not as part of a formula the way the University of California does. I rather think Admissions already does this. |
| 76 | work
towards developing a sense of community, all grade meetings? campus bi-monthly
meetings?
i am so happy here, but i truely look forward to creating a conscious and caring community*** |
| 77 | In lieu of my previous statements, I first must say that I have been thoroughly impressed with all of my professors at Pitzer. I wish I could say the same for the students. Have admission standards dropped? The students I have encountered, especially in the last year, have been generally unimpressive. Even in my class, where I have met many people that were intellectually capable, others were not so demonstrative. For example, in a senior seminar I took, approximately 4 out of the 7 students seemed like serious students, while the other three rarely even showed up to class. In all my classes, there has been a trend of constant late papers from the same students, absences, etc., and the penalties for such actions are never as strict as when I've taken classes at the other four colleges. Have professors gotten used to this? When I was telling my boyfriend, a Pitzer graduate, about how disappointed I was in one of my peers at her lack of effort in class, papers, etc., he responded with "are you kidding? That's the typical Pitzer student." I was embarassed, and a bit surprised. The general work ethic of students here are definitely below par compared to that of students at the other colleges. I sometimes wonder how different my college experience would have been had I chosen another school, say Scripps or Pomona or even a non-Claremont college and how different my surrounding peers would have been. My boyfriend, who turned down Harvard as an undergrad, I'm sure wonders also. But generally, I am happy with my experience at Pitzer, the good basically outweighs the bad, as long as you ignore the students with the "I read the book (two weeks behind the syllabus schedule), so I must be a scholar" mentality. Also, before I end this, I must add that I am disappointed with the lack of socio-economic diversity at Pitzer. Sure, I've met some students through the work-study program, but none that were serious or in enough need to actually not skip out on work. Also, I will say that I've noticed more Pitzer students than C.C. students using drugs, to the point of going to class under the influence, which may have slightly contributed to why I moved off campus after my freshman year. But again, I am generally happy with experience at Pitzer and have no significant regrets about attending. Of course, in my comments, I did not mention most of the qualities Pitzer has to offer. And of course I have encountered impressive students here at Pitzer. |
| 78 | This
one is too big for me. But this year I am particularly interested in the
College addressing more seriously and directly supports for teaching as
a process and fostering a set of skills that we value professionally in
the faculty and don't just give lip service to. I feel that this is our
most distinctive advantage over time and that we need to nurture it in
all of the faculty--new, middle-aged, and nearly retired. We need to have
a means to pass on good ideas to each other and to insure that we get authentic
feedback from our students that will keep us fresh, creative, and yes competitive
with other small colleges who are doing more than we are in this regard.
We need continually to raise the bar of achievement for our students and
to set a good example that will challenge those who are striving to meet
high expectations for performance and commitment to this community.
And of course we need to be fair and humane and empathetic in putting these ideas into practice. |
| 79 | Pitzer
needs to place more emphasis on diversity. There is a belief among the
faculty that they already know all there is to know about it. I believe
that there has been a complacency. The times have changed.
In words, there is talk of diversity -- in practice, the administrators admit that the reason they are not able to recruit enough minority students (particularly Latino and African American) is because other colleges are giving them better financial aid offers. If diversity was truly a priority, we too would be giving equal or better packages than some of these other colleges. As one professor recently said at a college council meeting, before another cent is spent on another plant, it is important to look at this issue of adequate funding for recruitment and retention. |
| 80 | We should definitely look at other measures of "quality" than the SAT in admission decisions, which we do. I wish we could eliminate "ability to pay" as an admission criteria, but that will require millions of dollars in scholarship. Still, it is a worthy goal and one we should all be working toward. |
| 81 | its difficult to be here, and at the same time I realize that this is an accelerated environment, but I feel that we are not teaching ourselves how to be strong individuals who, at the same time, work well and prosper in groups. Group interactions in alien environments should be instituted to help us learn and bond with eachother, to help us feel at home. |
| 82 | Pitzers
student should have to take a class in statistics. Statistics are used
to lie to people on a daily basis. Too many members of the student body
are afraid of numbers. This fear results in a "don't want anything to do
with that" attitude. Yet these people also protest the wrongs the goverment
and big bissness may have done to us. Numbers, that is statistics are a
big part of this lie. My proposed class should have a strong emphasis on
real world SALIENT examples. (Aside: Also a well respected peer of mine
has advanced the idea of requiring students to take an ethics class.) I
feel very strongly that Pitzer has comitted serious pedilogical error.
How can one promote social awareness when one of the central tools of promoting
social ignorance is understood?
Thank you for your time. |
| 83 | I feel that the purpose and asset of Pitzer college is to give students who have not yet had the chance to exell because they do not mesh with cultural norms the chance to interact with extraordinary professors in a rigorus academic enviorment. The SAT only mesures how well you take a test, not how well you could do at Pitzer. |
| 84 | I strongly feel that the strongest assets this college posesses is contained within a)the students b)the professors and c)the curriculum/style of learning environment. These are not things that seem to absorb the amount of money that is asked of the attendees. It seems that the trend of Pitzer 's admissions has been to place more and more emphasis on the ability of incoming students to pay full tuition, which in turn is bringing in a more apethetic group of individuals, than have been found in past years. If Pitzer is truly dedicated to creating a more equal society, we'd better take a good look at ourselves(admissions/administration) and start welcoming those who are most affected by existing corruptions, therefore most ready to fight for social change! |
| 85 | The Pitzer College faculty can begin to set goals for the type of skills and knowledge they want to see in the students that are admitted to the College. The admission counseling staff can then begin to look more specifically for those factors in the applicants in the pool. It should be noted that College is just begining to get enough applications to become more selective. While I am hopeful that we can continue this trend, I cannot guarantee it. The faculty must understand that perceptions about the College, based on facts or not, heavily influence the decision of students, and their parents, to decide to apply and attend the College. Pitzer, as an independent liberal arts and sciences college, faces enormous competition from similar institutions and from the excellent public research universities in CA. Clarity of goals and total commitment to them can help us, I believe, achieve them. |
| 86 | I have no comments at this time. |
| 87 | I have enjoyed my time, and believe I am receiving a very good education. |
| 88 | I think if Pitzer did abolish the SAT, that would diminish the reputation of the school in some respect. The SAT scores of Pitzer accepted students are growing every year and therefore are repuatation is increasing. I think getting rid of the SAT would make many think that we are lowering our standards and therefore will lower our ranking. But that is not to say that the SAT is not very bias and even "racist" at times. I think that Pitzer could still use the SAT as some sort of criteria, but just not weigh it as heavily as school grades, extra-curricular activities etc. |
| 89 | Time spent after highschool, before applying to college, working a blue-collar job should be as equally regarded as time spent on "academic" pursuits. Each is a valid experience. |
| 90 | Pitzer needs to be more relaxed about its policy toward student discipline. ALso, I definitely think Pitzer as well as the other colleges should work with the city of Claremont in developing an understanding concerning conduct and activities. Pitzer could be more involved in Claremont and that might lead Claremont to be less strict about its rules. ALso, we NEED more history teachers!!! |
| 91 | Although Pitzer is a place that I have grown to like over the years, I think that Pitzer does need to improve its emphasis on academics and the number of minorities on the campus. Pitzer has a low retention rate which I believe is partly due to these two factors. |
| 92 | Pitzer college could start a new trend of ignoring obsolete measurements and focusing more on how we can educate students coming to us regardless of their previous preparation and background. For educators that should be the challenge educating everyone, instead of trying to exclude certain stigmitized groups with idiotic exams. Can Pitzer really be innovative? I wont believe it until I see it in practice. |
| 93 | see above |
| 94 | In the short two and a half year that I have been here, I have sensed a shift from a more relaxed, creative, alternative/ progressive college environment to a more competitive, objective, mainstream one. Perhaps this is a result of my moving "through the ranks" here and the changes that I sense are due only to my aging and taking more focused, upper division course, but I don't think so. In the social functions that I go to I feel less of a sense of community and less Pitzer pride or solidarity for lack of a better word. This might have resulted from a change in society in general, but because this happened over such a short period of time, I doubt it. I think that Pitzer should stop trying to be like other colleges and/or building a student body that is more like that of other colleges' and start embracing its uniqueness and/or identity. I assume that there are some real business concerns (i.e. funds) that would influence the colleges decision to become more mainstream; maybe our retention rate would improve if our students weren't so 'artsy,' but I think that our community and our collective heart is too high a price to pay for those rewards (which again, I am inferring). Student-administration communication could be improved and more surveys like this one, which ask for community imput might be a good place to start. Actually using those survey to effect change would be the next step and the process could unfold from there. Most communication to date has been somewhat antagonistic and us vs. them in nature and I think that that needs to change. I also think that more student input in admissions might be useful. |
| 95 | more real socila justice-- less sugar coating |
| 96 | don't let any more of those billionaire kids who drive around in their lexuses and drink every night and graffiti over paintings and are only here because a) they're rich, b)they scored high on tests and cheated well enough in classes to get a good high school report card. no more mindless, irresponsibly daddy's boys/girls, please. i need pitzer the way it is (was). |
| 97 | Pitzer admissions should understand that more students are going to accept their offer of admission than we have room for. This has happened the last 2 years. It sucks for the freshman to have to be in triple rooms. |
| 98 | Someone needs to address the issue of drug and alcohol use by students. This may need to be a question asked of students before they are allowed into Pitzer. The community service aspect should be highlighted more and students should be held accountable to complete 40 hours of community service each semester and if not completed they could not graduate. These hours could be done on campus or in the community. |
| 99 | Pitzer should study this issue more thoroughly and consider the possibility of making the SAT optional. |
| 100 | In my opinion, the SAT should not be completely excluded, but it should not be the deciding factor on who gets admitted to Pitzer. |
| 101 | I wish we were ranked in the first tier in US News and World Report!!!!!! I hate the fact that Pomona is #7 or whatever and we aren't even on the page. |
| 102 | I think that a large part of the retention problem is students dissatisfaction with the academic standards at Pitzer--namely, that they are too low. Even though the S.A.T.'s are a shoddy indication of academic potential, because they are recognized as the standard indication, eliminating the S.A.T.'s would probably contribute to the already troubled state of Pitzer's academic reputation/identity. |
| 103 | Although pitzer has a brilliant student body, many lack academic motivation. I chose to attend pitzer because of its liberal, artsy, and active student body,which has proven great socially. However, i have been quite disappointed in the quality and difficulty of the academics. Pitzer is a slacker school and this is frustrating. it's easy to get an A because there is no competition from the other students and because the faculty have low expectations of us. this has been great for my GPA but frustrating as a student. I think the students are smart enough to handle a more challenging curricum. we need the facutly to start challenging and pushing us more. Classes at the other claremont colleges are more difficult because the professors expect more of their students, which is both more rewarding and more educational. |
| 104 | I
think one of the assets of the college is the committment of the faculty
and staff to the college. Most people are not here because they are paid
well, but because they really appreciate what the college offers, because
they enjoy working with students who are unique and interesting, because
they are excited about the goals of the college. I can honestly say that
I have never once looked at the clock and thought - two more hours till
I can go home. Days are not long enough to do everything I would like to
accomplish. The benefits are good. The pay could be better, but I understand
that the college is not well endowed.
What we need less of is negativity, devisiveness in the community, back stabbing and unions! I think the idea of faculty unionizing is quite disappointing. With yesterdays announcement of an upcoming change in the college leadership, I think there are better ways for faculty and staff to shape the college. I would like to see more of the staff appreciated for what they contribute to the college. I would like some members of the staff and faculty not to see the world as "us against them." Most don't but those that do make life unpleasant. Disagreeing with each other is healthy but disrespecting each other is not. Problems - Fix the dorms. How can students have much respect for property when they are living in such low quality housing? I wonder if the Board of Trustees and/or the Senior Staff and/or faculty have actually visited the dorms in the middle of a semester - it is quite scary. |
| 105 | I like Pitzer it is a good school, the only complaint is I have are the triples, we get nothing for this problem, other schools get compensated for it and I think it is unfair for this school not to do the same. |
| 106 | I like Pitzer it is a good school, the only complaint is I have are the triples, we get nothing for this problem, other schools get compensated for it and I think it is unfair for this school not to do the same. |
| 107 | how to assess scholastic aptitude |
| 108 | I think Pitzer is great! |
