Notes from the desk

Author: Jake A. Kuipers

So I have this friend - let's call him Trevor - who graduated from high school in spring 2002. After two short months he began his college career on the east coast. Four years later he graduated from college, got a job in Boston, and has moved there recently. He now works "eight to five," usually eight to seven, pays the bills, cooks his food, cleans his bathroom and sees his family and friends when he can afford to take the time off.

I have another friend - let's call him James - who also graduated from high school in spring 2002. He spent the summer after high school hanging out with friends before they all went to college. Inevitably, when that occurred, James got a secretary job at an advertising agency. He started college a little late, February 2003, so this time gave him a chance to make a little money and see what marketing was all about. College has been great for James, but it has gone by too quickly. But, since he started a semester late, he ends a semester late. So, he spent what felt like an extra summer at an internship in Chicago and returned to school a couple weeks ago to finish college by January 2007. This week he's taking classes in the mornings, running in the afternoons, sampling microbrews throughout the week, seeing his friends at lunch and dinner and looking forward to Thirsty Thursdays in town. Oh, and as you might have guessed, James is a Feb at Midd.

Who do you think is living better? While Trevor balances his checkbook or scrubs his tub, James is learning exactly what he wants to learn and mountain bikes in the Green Mountains as his bathroom is being cleaned and his food is being cooked. Sure Trevor goes out a couple times a week, but at the end of the night his last decision is how much to tip the bartender while James' is where he'll put the empty keg for the night.

As you can see, being a Feb is not a bad thing. In fact, the vast majority of Febs love that they come later and last longer at Midd. Despite this, last year the College Administration passed a strategic plan calling for a cut in Feb enrollment by almost 50 percent. Why are they cutting the Feb class? Shouldn't the administration be increasing Feb enrollment - especially when the advantages clearly out-way the disadvantages? Instead of decreasing the Feb class they should be increasing it. If it costs too much money to have a separate Reg and Feb class, as they claim, maybe the whole student body should be Febs?

This might not be realistic, but nevertheless, the administration should not simply dismiss the feasibility of a substantial Feb class due to financial reasons. If it's in a student's best interest to be a Feb, shouldn't the administration cater to that student's needs? After all, isn't the college supposed to look out for the best interest of its students?