PASSHE Institutions Merging

[WarriorVoice]

A hell of a lot more than the average college student now. You'd be surprised how many have never had a job, have their drivers license, have spent more than a weekend away from their parents, etc. Or don't know how to ask questions on their own behalf. I'll excuse things out of their control like not having siblings or having shared a bedroom.

If you want to lose all faith in the future generation, try to join the Facebook group for your college's parents and see the very basic questions that perplex questions so much that they put it out for public assistance.

I'll speak for myself, but I didn't have much self-discipline, nor much life experience at the age of 18, but I was a parent at 24, so those years were very formative, but I made plenty of mistakes between 18 & 24.

[Fightingscot82]

How much self-discipline and life experience did you have between 18 & 25?

A hell of a lot more than the average college student now. You'd be surprised how many have never had a job, have their drivers license, have spent more than a weekend away from their parents, etc. Or don't know how to ask questions on their own behalf. I'll excuse things out of their control like not having siblings or having shared a bedroom.

If you want to lose all faith in the future generation, try to join the Facebook group for your college's parents and see the very basic questions that perplex questions so much that they put it out for public assistance.

[Ship69]

The older I get the more I think a peacetime draft or compulsory military service for those able-bodied and not working or studying full-time would do our country good. The lack of self-discipline and life experience most 18-25 year olds have is staggering.

I'd like to see some kind of service, but I'd leave it open to choice between the military or other alternatives such as the Peace Corps or the Teach America program.

What is certain is that if we're going to have a volunteer military we'd better start getting more volunteers. Recruiting goals are not being met. One of my grandsons who is in the Navy had a recent deployment of several months aboard a destroyer in the South China Sea. One of the reasons they have to stay out so long is a shortage of personnel. It doesn't do much for retention in the military and makes it very hard for our military personnel to have anything approaching a normal family life.

The ironic thing is that never in my relatively long lifetime have I seen this country more gung-ho about fawning over the military than it is now. Sports events at all levels are tuned into shows of patriotism, news shows have nightly "salutes" to veterans of 40 or 50 years ago, we see very expensive Air Force flyovers at bowl games, and on and on. And don't get me wrong, I certainly have zero problem with honoring those who have served the country in the military. But all this adulation hasn't seemed to result in a rush of young people to join the service.

One disturbing thing was a recent statement by an Army general in which he asserted that only 23 percent of our current youth would meet both the physical and mental standards required to get into the military. With many kids living in a tenuous household situation, added to growing up on fast food diets and too much time sitting around on their butts goofing with their phones or playing video games, the physical condition of the non-athletes among our young people is probably the worst it's been since the Great Depression. The Pennsylvania State Police Academy recently lowered the physical requirements to accept officer trainees, although they say they'll train them up to standards once they get in. We'll see.

Problem now is the compulsory service model has left the barn, and it would take braver persons than most of our risk-averse legislators these days to bring it back.

[WarriorVoice]

The older I get the more I think a peacetime draft or compulsory military service for those able-bodied and not working or studying full-time would do our country good. The lack of self-discipline and life experience most 18-25 year olds have is staggering.

How much self-discipline and life experience did you have between 18 & 25?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Well, teach a course from high school on up these days and try to give a student a "C" grade or lower in anything, and see what happens. One of the problems is that a lot of kids coast through high school and arrive at college badly unprepared to do serious academic work. There's a reason you see first-year college adjustment courses at many schools today.

Of course in the '60s you were an idiot to be indifferent to your studies as a male student, because if you failed out the government might decide to plan an expenses-paid trip to a certain destination in Southeast Asia for you.

"We were always looking for some guy named Charlie. We never did find him."

Forrest Gump

[Fightingscot82]

Well, teach a course from high school on up these days and try to give a student a "C" grade or lower in anything, and see what happens. One of the problems is that a lot of kids coast through high school and arrive at college badly unprepared to do serious academic work. There's a reason you see first-year college adjustment courses at many schools today.

Of course in the '60s you were an idiot to be indifferent to your studies as a male student, because if you failed out the government might decide to plan an expenses-paid trip to a certain destination in Southeast Asia for you.

The older I get the more I think a peacetime draft or compulsory military service for those able-bodied and not working or studying full-time would do our country good. The lack of self-discipline and life experience most 18-25 year olds have is staggering.

[Ship69]

I wouldn't go that far but yeah it takes some effort to fail out anymore. Deliberate indifference and not going to class. Most kids leave PASSHE schools because of money. Failing out or giving up because of academic reasons is #3 after financial and transfer to another school.

Well, teach a course from high school on up these days and try to give a student a "C" grade or lower in anything, and see what happens. One of the problems is that a lot of kids coast through high school and arrive at college badly unprepared to do serious academic work. There's a reason you see first-year college adjustment courses at many schools today.

Of course in the '60s you were an idiot to be indifferent to your studies as a male student, because if you failed out the government might decide to plan an expenses-paid trip to a certain destination in Southeast Asia for you.

[Fightingscot82]

Grade inflation is a student;s friend these days. The most common grade given at colleges these days is an "A." Colleges today are in a death race to retain students. The last thing they want to do if they can help it is academically disqualify anyone. If you have half a brain and make any sort of effort, you're unlikely to flunk out of college once you're admitted.

It's a far cry from what I was told when I attended Ship freshman indoctrination in the '60s: "Look to the left of you, look to the right of you. One of those persons will not be here in four years." And that was pretty much true.

My 3.4 GPA at Ship put me into the top five percent of the class when I graduated then. I don't know if that would even be in the top half now.

I wouldn't go that far but yeah it takes some effort to fail out anymore. Deliberate indifference and not going to class. Most kids leave PASSHE schools because of money. Failing out or giving up because of academic reasons is #3 after financial and transfer to another school.

[Ship69]

Any group that has mandatory study halls tends to have above average GPAs. Also that whole 2.0 to play thing helps a lot.

Grade inflation is a student;s friend these days. The most common grade given at colleges these days is an "A." Colleges today are in a death race to retain students. The last thing they want to do if they can help it is academically disqualify anyone. If you have half a brain and make any sort of effort, you're unlikely to flunk out of college once you're admitted.

It's a far cry from what I was told when I attended Ship freshman indoctrination in the '60s: "Look to the left of you, look to the right of you. One of those persons will not be here in four years." And that was pretty much true.

My 3.4 GPA at Ship put me into the top five percent of the class when I graduated then. I don't know if that would even be in the top half now.

[Fightingscot82]

These days the college experience is much more than Greek life. Student-athletes are becoming the largest fraternity on many campuses. At ESU student-athletes have a better GPA than the rest of the student population.

Any group that has mandatory study halls tends to have above average GPAs. Also that whole 2.0 to play thing helps a lot.

[WarriorVoice]

I wasn't in a frat myself but many of my close friends were at Duquesne, Pitt, and Marietta. What goes on behind the scenes is crazy, especially at larger or more southern schools. My girlfriend is the President of her sorority at Clarion and its so much different from being in a frat. Being in a sorority sounds like hell tbqh. She runs everything so I hear everything, and its just piles and piles of drama mixed with lazy college girls who don't get the events and activities planned or set up. I cant tell you how many weekends Ive had to help her set up a sorority event that she wasn't supposed to have anything to do with because one of the girls on that activity committee was "feeling overwhelmed" or "had a bad week". Doesn't matter if that's the case, you gotta get it done either way, you signed up for it. Most of the time its not even true, they just didn't finish their homework or something.

Greek Life/parties at Clarion is dead because the frats are non existent, just 3 groups of 8 losers without a house to throw parties in. The sororities are boring, follow the book, and don't throw parties even though one of them has a huge house. Last year, a house full of guys tried to ignite the fire with a "fake frat" that got off the ground and people enjoyed it until the police shut down party after party after party and soon it was dead. Its just sad. If you want a real college experience, go to Pitt or Penn State.

These days the college experience is much more than Greek life. Student-athletes are becoming the largest fraternity on many campuses. At ESU student-athletes have a better GPA than the rest of the student population.

[SecretlySavage]

My fraternity experience was life altering in a positive way. Yeah there was some stupid stuff and some regrets about things we did that didn't age well, but my fraternity was probably 80% good acts and 20% frat boy stupid stuff. Done by the book, there's not an experience like it at a college. But the lack of meaningful adult advisement and the 21 drinking age created a role for many fraternities to assume the role of speakeasy for 19 year olds. Fortunately hazing is illegal in PA and may soon be a federal crime. I think most people would be shocked at the formal behind the scenes (secret) stuff that's not really any different from the local fraternal lodge in most communities.

My wife's sorority experience was very different for different reasons.

I wasn't in a frat myself but many of my close friends were at Duquesne, Pitt, and Marietta. What goes on behind the scenes is crazy, especially at larger or more southern schools. My girlfriend is the President of her sorority at Clarion and its so much different from being in a frat. Being in a sorority sounds like hell tbqh. She runs everything so I hear everything, and its just piles and piles of drama mixed with lazy college girls who don't get the events and activities planned or set up. I cant tell you how many weekends Ive had to help her set up a sorority event that she wasn't supposed to have anything to do with because one of the girls on that activity committee was "feeling overwhelmed" or "had a bad week". Doesn't matter if that's the case, you gotta get it done either way, you signed up for it. Most of the time its not even true, they just didn't finish their homework or something.

Greek Life/parties at Clarion is dead because the frats are non existent, just 3 groups of 8 losers without a house to throw parties in. The sororities are boring, follow the book, and don't throw parties even though one of them has a huge house. Last year, a house full of guys tried to ignite the fire with a "fake frat" that got off the ground and people enjoyed it until the police shut down party after party after party and soon it was dead. Its just sad. If you want a real college experience, go to Pitt or Penn State.

[Fightingscot82]

My fraternity experience was life altering in a positive way. Yeah there was some stupid stuff and some regrets about things we did that didn't age well, but my fraternity was probably 80% good acts and 20% frat boy stupid stuff. Done by the book, there's not an experience like it at a college. But the lack of meaningful adult advisement and the 21 drinking age created a role for many fraternities to assume the role of speakeasy for 19 year olds. Fortunately hazing is illegal in PA and may soon be a federal crime. I think most people would be shocked at the formal behind the scenes (secret) stuff that's not really any different from the local fraternal lodge in most communities.

My wife's sorority experience was very different for different reasons.

[SecretlySavage]

The IUP frat houses on Wayne Ave back in the day all looked like multiple code violations…almost unlivable.

The hazing is childish.

Again I saw no point….

I agree with all of the above, but its also a fact of the matter that groups of young men that get into man made debauchery will create an atmosphere of parties and fun that college kids crave. Having an atmosphere that students like will grow the student body, which will in turn help these schools. So I do agree that Greek Life is one of the dumbest things a person can sign up for, but its no doubt that the parties you can go to are worth it. Not to mention that frats often go out to bars when they don't throw parties, keeping the bar scene active too. It just makes sense, you cant have a college without Greek Life.

[IUPNation]

I'm old and have no idea about what the Greek experience is these days. When I was going to school there was a lot of hazing involved in pledging. I was an undersized and socially awkward guy my first couple of years in high school and took plenty of crap there, so I had no desire to take more b.s. in college. I couldn't care less if someone else wants to join a frat or sorority. It's up to them. It appears to work for some people, not so much for others. And when hazing gets to the point where people are actually being physically of psychologically harmed it needs to cease immediately.

The IUP frat houses on Wayne Ave back in the day all looked like multiple code violations…almost unlivable.

The hazing is childish.

Again I saw no point….