The term LPWG (or Learning Programs Working Group) for many has become a foul four-letter word; a term that instantly incites fiery passion and emotion in support or against the new proposals.

For anyone who’s been living under a rock for the past few weeks and has no clue what the LPWG proposals are, I’ll do my best to give a “Reader’s Digest” version.

In short, the group is made of faculty elected by their divisions as well as staff appointed by the academic dean who have looked over Simpson’s current academic practices and have created a group of proposals that aim to reform the current academic program at Simpson.

Since the announcement of this proposal to members of the SGA back in January and its passing at the EPCC, discussions on this issue have burned like wildfire.

As the recipient of daily e-mails informing me of the next LPWG meeting and faculty members’ responses to the resolution recently drafted by the SGA, I’m at the point where I want it to all disappear.

For starters, both sides need to become more open minded. At the first LPWG meeting last week, I could have cut the tension in the air with a knife. Students showed up ready to share their concerns and questions and I felt that every time someone did bring up a question or concern, faculty got defensive and shot the student down using the answer “this is just a dreaming phase at this point,” without any real answers to a majority of the questions.

Some students could have also been a little less on the offense and not so ready to jump to the attack on the proposal with the issues they had and stated their concerns more diplomatically and with less accusation.

Essentially two big things need to pointed out in the midst of all this back and forth. First, the faculty needs to realize that a big reason for this outcry is because it just showed up. Students felt something this important should have had student input, since most faculty committees, including the EPCC, do have a student representative. When this was brought to the attention of the student body, we were told it was “going to take time and thought.” The next thing we knew, it was in front of the EPCC.

I think faculty should be somewhat appreciative that there has been such a response from the student body. It obviously means we care and aren’t the apathetic young people of America most assume us to be. Simpson students care about their education and what’s going to happen to their curriculum. Isn’t that something a professor should want to see?

The students need to realize and remember that this proposal isn’t an attempt by the faculty to screw us over and rob us of our $31,000-a-year tuition. This is a proposal faculty obviously feel can benefit the institution. They didn’t just make this up overnight. They also took time to think and consider what they thought would be best for the Simpson student and we should be appreciative of that.

Needless to say, this is going to be a process. This isn’t something that will change beginning next fall. Faculty need to be more appreciative of the student feedback, students need to remember that the faculty care and then we can all work together and learn happily ever after. Hopefully.