Posts published in “Opinion”

(Archive March 15, 2010) Editorial: We Have No Reason to Trust Fellow Students on Campus

By editorialteam on July 10, 2024

By Ashley Arseneau | Editor-in-Chief

As some of you may already know, Jamie Hayes, MWCC student, recently had her jacket stolen while on campus leaving the area and jacket for a minute. Also taken was money she had earned working. Hayes is not the only person to suffer what the Campus police refer to as a “crime of opportunity”. According to www.collegestudentsafety.com 80% of crimes reported on college campuses are property crimes. Property crime includes theft, arson, and vandalism. According to Karen Kolimaga, MWCC Chief of Police, there were 16 reported on campus larcenies in 2009 and there are 6 on campus larcenies to date for 2010 alone. read more

(Archive November 2007) Smoke-Free Campus?

By editorialteam on July 9, 2024

By Renee Donofrio | Observer Contributor

Mount Wachusett Community College is a spectacular college to attend. They have many programs to join and events to attend. The staff and students here are all very pleasant and kind people to work with. They do very well to keep up the look and atmosphere of the college. One thing I noticed that could be improved at the Mount is the number of students who smoke on campus. There are signs posted on all the doors of the school and the lawns stating that this school is a smoke free campus, yet every morning you see people smoking in the common area outside, only a few feet from the doors. There are cigarette butts on the ground outside the school and that does put a damper on the scenery of the school. Also there are people who smoke only a few feet from the children’s center. It’s not fair for the kids who do not smoke, or who have bad lungs and asthma, to have to inhale everyone else’s second hand smoke. I myself suffer from severe asthma and it’s very hard for me to breathe in that smoke every morning when I walk by those people who are smoking. To help with this problem I think campus security should be more alert and should maybe try to enforce this rule among those who are smoking on campus. Also, maybe have someone come and clean up those areas that are covered with cigarette butts so it can look just as nice as the rest of the school campus does. Smoking on campus has an effect on everyone who breathes in the smoke and it should be taken seriously. read more

(Archive October 2007) Want to Work Out? Pay Up!

By editorialteam on June 27, 2024

By Adam Nadeau | Observer Reporter

So it’s time for another school year, and like many students you might’ve put on a few pounds of pudge during the warm summer months. Personally, I enjoy letting out some stress in the fall by taking advantage of our school’s workout facility. It isn’t great, but hey, it’s right on campus.

Up until now MWCC gave their full-time students the perk of membership at their Fitness & Wellness Center, which isn’t uncommon. Every community college in Massachusetts gives their students a free membership, a small thank-you for spending thousands on an education at their college. Students returning this semester are still just learning that the Fitness and Wellness Center now charges $60 per semester to full-time students, quite the price increase from $0. read more

(Archive October 2007) Single Parents in College: A Juggling Act

By editorialteam on June 27, 2024

By Dee Morgan | Observer Contributor

It is difficult enough to be a college student, but when you combine that role with the many demands and responsibilities of raising a family and possibly working, the challenges are many and often overwhelming. In addition to finding time to study, complete homework assignments, access internet time and possibly tutoring, many of our single parents face transportation and daycare issues. Any one or all of these factors can undermine a students dream for an education and the opportunities it will bring to them and their families. read more

(Archive March 2006) Profiting Off the War and the Poor

By editorialteam on June 26, 2024

By Danielle Reader

President Bush submitted his newest budget recently and cut programs like Medicare and Medicaid, while there is over $8.8 billion missing in government contract payouts from the war in Iraq. His budget would cut $35.9 billion from Medicare, $4.5 billion from Medicaid, $14.7 billion on programs like food stamps and housing for the elderly, as well as $6.7 billion in educational programs like the Pell Grants.

Adding insult to injury, CBS News recently aired a report on the highway robbery of the American taxpayers. According to their report, there are billions of dollars unaccounted for in contract payouts over in Iraq. There are two companies in particular that are among the worst. read more

(Archive March 2006) Gearing Up for Summer Driving

By editorialteam on June 26, 2024

By Tony Fusaro | Observer Reporter

Although there are a few things that are the same between getting your vehicle ready for winter and getting it ready for summer, there are, however, many differences.

First, check the cooling system. If you live in an area where it gets really hot, you want your cooling system in good working order. The cooling system of an engine has to work harder in hot weather to prevent the engine from overheating than in cold weather. Some of the main components that should be checked are the radiator, water pump, thermostat, and hoses. If your car overheats, serious engine damage can occur. Not only that but chances are you will also probably be stranded. In the event that you notice your car is starting to overheat, turn off your air conditioning and turn the heat up full blast. This will remove some of the heat from the engine but if the temperature still rises, get to the nearest service station or garage. read more

(Archive March 2006) Student Review: Tim Wise Lecture

By editorialteam on June 26, 2024

By Joe Mungo | Observer Reporter

Photo by Stephen Jahl
Nationally well known speaker Tim Wise spoke to a full auditorium about the controversial topic of racisim recently.

Photo by Stephen Jahl
The audience included students faculty and staff as well as students from Massachusetts high schools and colleges.

I was not very impressed by Tim Wise, so called National Lecturer on Racism and author of the book White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son. As a matter of fact, I was quite offended when his wagon came through town February 17, and he wowed the audience with the oratory skill reminiscent of the snake oil salesman of the old west.

I take offense to Mr. Wise’s assertion that being born white equates to being born privileged in America. I guess being white and poor or white and disadvantaged for a plethora of other reasons is a contradiction in terms in the world of Mr. Wise. I had no idea that being born white and disadvantaged at the same time was so rare and uncommon that for some people this condition is virtually non-existent. After attending the lecture by Mr. Wise, I certainly must be a minority. I always wondered why I had to work so hard, all those odd and extra hours, all those crappy low paying jobs. I never realized that all I had to do was flaunt my white skin and collect my privilege. read more

A Double-Edged Sword

By editorialteam on October 21, 2023

Balancing the Benefits and Ethical Dilemmas of AI

By Kent Yang | Observer Contributor

Artificial Intelligence and applications of AI, such as Machine Learning, have ushered in a new era of technological advancement, transforming industries and enhancing our daily lives. However, this enhancement also comes with an ethical double-edged sword. While AI offers tremendous benefits, it also raises ethical concerns that demand thoughtful consideration.

AI technologies offer the potential to revolutionize the workplace by automating tasks, thereby enhancing efficiency, productivity, and reducing on-the-job injuries. However, this advancement also brings forth concerns related to job displacement. According to a report from the World Economic Forum, by the year 2025, AI may lead to the displacement of approximately 85 million jobs. But it’s also expected to create 97 million new roles as well, which perfectly illustrates the double-edged nature of AI’s impact on employment. read more

A Reflection on Transgender Day of Visibility

By editorialteam on June 9, 2023

Fighting Erasure in a Social Climate Determined to Say “You Don’t Exist”

By Elysian Alder | Assistant Editor

I am none of these things: a monster, a predator, a plague, a groomer, a pedophile, a villain, a snowflake, an attention-seeker, a liar, a danger to children, an eyesore. I am none of the other dehumanizing and stigmatizing labels that staunch conservatives are insistent on placing on me and my community. I am a lot of other things, though: a writer, a Pisces, a friend, a sibling, a nature-lover, a QA specialist, a student— and, according to TikTok, a “geriatric Gen-Zer.” This year, it’s difficult to reflect on all of the other things that I am because one part of my identity has been on trial since the beginning of 2023. I am queer, I am transgender, and I am spending this Transgender Day of Visibility with mixed emotions about everything that my community has had to endure just to be able to exist. read more

I Am One in Four

By editorialteam on December 16, 2022

Student Shares Personal Journey to Remind Others “You Are Not Alone”

By Annabelle Kennedy | Observer Contributor

One in four American women will have an abortion by the time they are 45 years old, and I am one of those women.

I had an abortion when I was 28 years old. I feared having a child. I was not in a place where I was mentally or emotionally ready to be responsible for another life. I was living in a small apartment in Allston at the time, had two roommates and a job as a waitress, and I felt incredibly alone and ashamed.

The baby’s father and I hadn’t been dating for long, and he wasn’t ready to have a child either. I decided that I could live with the decision of not having a child and regret it, more than I could live with the idea of having the child and not providing a loving, stable home for them. read more