Colleges are a breeding ground for snowflakes these days. We now roll out the "Snowflake Desk" to bring you two stories from the bubble of "higher education."
We start with UC Santa Cruz, where students protested what they called a "hostile environment" by locking themselves in an administrative building for three days until the school caved.
Member's of the school's African/Black Student Alliance took over Kerr Hall last week. They locked all of the doors, covered the windows with slogan-filled posters, and vowed not to leave until their demands were met.
They told the school paper:
"If the university fails us, there will be no business as usual."
1) "Similar to EOP students and International students’ housing guarantees, we demand that ALL African Black Caribbean identified students have a 4 year housing guarantee to live in the Rosa Parks African American Themed House. Guaranteeing this would provide a viable living option to all (Afrikan/Black/Caribbean) identified students regardless of housing status and college affiliation. We demand a written agreement by the opening of housing applications in April 2017."
2) "We demand the university remove the beds and release the Rosa Parks African Themed House lounge so it can serve its original purpose. We demand the lounge be returned by Fall 2017."
3) "We demand that the university fund the ENTIRE exterior of the Rosa Parks African American Themed House being painted Pan-Afrikan colors (Red, green, and black) by the start of Spring quarter 2017. These Pan Afrikan colors represent Black liberation, and represent our diaspora, and the goals of our people."
4) "We demand that all new incoming students from 2017-2018 school year forward (first years and transfers) go through a mandatory in-person diversity competency training in the event that the online module is not implemented by JUNE 2017. We demand that the training be reviewed and approved by A/BSA board every two years. We demand that every incoming student complete this training by their first day of class."
Chancellor George Blumenthal agreed to all four of the demands.
Now we move to Harvard, arguably the most prestigious school in the country. This week the school announced that its libraries will be getting rid of the 50 cent-per-day late fee on overdue books.
Harvard says its waiving late fees because the practices is too stressful for students.
Harvard administrator Steven Beardsley said:
“We have witnessed first-hand the stress that overdue fines can cause for students. Eliminating standard overdue fines…should help students focus on their scholarship, rather than worrying about renewing library books every 28 days in order to avoid fines.”
What?! How hard is it to be responsible for a book? Either return it on time, or pay the late fee. What happens when these kids get real responsibilities?
College is not preparing students for life. It just traps them in their little snow globe where they flutter around, "safe" from reality.