COLLEGIAN STAFF
The Butler Collegian staff is comprised of freshmen through graduate students from a multitude of different academic disciplines. Yet when we asked ourselves, “Why Butler University?” our answers were all remarkably similar.
The people were welcoming and the campus beautiful.
Butler is a liberal arts school with many opportunities for academic advancement and a friendly atmosphere upon which to make lasting friendships.
In some cases Butler wasn’t too far from home. In others it was just far enough.
It seemed like the perfect size, had great athletic programs and an even better regional reputation.
Our staff members who have walked the campus for more than a few years feel like the cogs are turning to change the university.
At the forefront are leaders like Butler President James Danko, Jordan College of the Arts Dean Ronald Caltabiano and Athletics Director Barry Collier.
The colleges are making room for growth and new majors are being created. Infrastructure is changing, and a new building recently opened on campus.
The Collegian staff is excited about the future.
We applaud the growth we have seen and the spirit of advancement in the air.
We recognize, as in any period of change, those affected must decide what to keep and what to give away.
None of the members of our staff will be students when the change we speak of is complete.
We might not even recognize the school when we come back for our 15 or 20-year reunions.
But we hope that those who will continue to be here—the administration, faculty and staff—will choose to keep the right things.
We hope the reasons we chose Butler are the reasons future classes will choose Butler and reasons our future children might choose Butler.
Don’t sacrifice our soul to reach a number or get a trophy or attain national attention.
Let our core values, that central element, guide our growth. It must be organic.
The administration, faculty and staff are charged with deciding what this kernel is and are responsible for keeping it intact.
But we at The Collegian have a few ideas based on our experience as students.
Butler is a liberal arts school first and foremost.
As colleges add majors, we hope this is not forgotten. We would hate to see a student come to Butler in one major and become trapped due to the rigid and specific requirements of his or her course of study.
Butler should remain a campus where an individual discovers himself or herself, which often involves adding or changing majors.
Furthermore, Butler takes pride in its athletics because its athletes come from its student body, not vice versa.
We support our players because they are our friends, not because they are our heroes.
It is great to win games, but we hope the university remembers that we do not need championships to be proud of our teams.
As the university expands, Butler could and should become one of the best universities in the United States. We have room for it, we have the people for it and we are beginning to be recognized for it.
But we at The Collegian want to emphasize that Butler is well on its way already.
We do not need to give up any of who we are to reach this goal.
Our staff goes so far as to say that if we lose any of who we are, we will not reach this goal.
So, it is in the hands of our administrators, faculty and staff.
We as a staff support your ideas. Make us proud to be Butler alumni.
Please direct all responses to Editor-In-Chief Colin Likas
