Archive for the ‘Opinion’ Articles

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Climate change will be our generation’s defining issue

Sunday, March 14th, 2010Every American should be aware (that we are at a unique moment)when it comes to climate change. Last June, the House of Representatives passed legislation aimed at curtailing global warming pollution for the first time. The Senate is now considering versions of a similar bill. They all include the elements that need to be [...]

HERALD EDITORIAL: Ladd-Rettich best choice for WSA president and vice president

Sunday, March 14th, 2010The Andrew Ladd- Chris Rettic (h campaign), with their analytical approach, experience and broad vision, has our vote for president/vice president of the Western Student Association. “We’re all students with similar issues, it’s how you go about it that’s different,” Andrew Ladd said. After meeting with both sets of candidates, the difference is evident. Throughout the campaign the Ladd-Rettich [...]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Ladd/Rettich slate offers unmatchable leadership

Sunday, March 14th, 2010Through my experiences in the (Western Student Association th)is semester, I’ve had the privilege of meeting two fine young men: Andrew Ladd and Christopher Rettich. Ladd, the senate speaker, and Rettich, a former high school student body president, have let their principles do their talking, not their connections. Once I had a chance to examine their [...]

Climate change will be our generation’s defining issue

Sunday, March 14th, 2010Every American should be aware (that we are at a unique moment)when it comes to climate change. Last June, the House of Representatives passed legislation aimed at curtailing global warming pollution for the first time. The Senate is now considering versions of a similar bill. They all include the elements that need to be [...]

Colony Farm: eventually, all that will be left is regret

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010By Adam Fox (Western Herald)Several weeks ago, as dusk neared and a snowstorm began to bear down on Kalamazoo, I decided to take my dog Lucy out to the Asylum Lake Preserve off of Drake Road near the Parkview Campus. I often take Lucy for walks out to Asylum. She loves it and so do I. [...]

Herald Editorial: For Obama and Democrats, it’s make-or-break time

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010s crunch time for President Ob (ama and the congressional Demo)It’crats. The political stakes are clear. If they want to ensure that they will be slaughtered in the November congressional elections, all they need to do in the weeks ahead is screw up their golden opportunity to pass health-care reform. Being Democrats, they are entirely capable of [...]

Editorial Cartoon: March 8, 2010

Sunday, March 7th, 2010 ()

Kmart consideration for archives saddens alumnus

Sunday, March 7th, 2010I want to applaud WMU for cons (idering the purchase of the fo)rmer Kmart Stadium Drive location as the potential new home of the university archives; I cannot think of a more symbolically appropriate building to house the institution’s archives than one previously owned by a dying corporation that is at best, the subject of pity [...]

2010 US Census an important tool for country, easy to fill out

Sunday, March 7th, 2010Andrew Mell (Western Herald)In late January, the 2010 Census kicked off. For a number of months, the US Census Bureau will do their best to “snap a picture” of all of America. But what exactly is the census and what is its purpose? The United Nations has recommended that countries conduct censuses decennially, or every ten [...]

WMU should place YouTube videos link on its Web site

Thursday, February 25th, 2010Hasan Al Momani (Western Herald)YouTube has become an effective tool to advertise and market the news and activities of academic institutions. It is considered as one of the most important Web sites that influences our attitudes, opinions, and behaviors. YouTube has achieved tremendous success as a form of communication among the peoples of the world and has [...]

Editorial cartoon: Feb. 22, 2010

Sunday, February 21st, 2010 ()

Dear Dunn, stop neglecting East Hall, its embarrassing

Sunday, February 21st, 2010Dear President ( John Dunn), We do not understand the logic behind the proposed purchase of the old K‑Mart on Stadium Drive to house our archives. Western is willing to buy and renovate an old retail store, but is not willing to renovate the current housing for the archives, East Hall. It is so frustrating, as students [...]

With medical school, WMU has chance to be leader in state

Sunday, February 21st, 2010With the prospect of economic (expansion ripe around the Kala)mazoo community and West Michigan, a medical school could be a very strong next step for university administrators. With WMU closely on the heels of “The Big 3,” (the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University) a medical school would rapidly close the [...]

K-Mart? You’re kidding, right?

Sunday, February 21st, 2010Andrew Mell (Western Herald) You’ve got to be kidding right? Reports have been swirling lately that WMU is considering moving the archives out of East Hall and into the newly vacant K-Mart building on Stadium Drive. The day when a major academic institution trying to compete with the likes of the University of Michigan and Michigan State [...]

Editorial cartoon: Feb. 18, 2010

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 ()

Herald Editorial: Google Books might be a monoply, but it’s a good one

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010s full-throttle pursuit of cyb (er-innovation has made their r)Google’ise awesome to watch.  Their search engine isn’t the half of what they’ve accomplished. More so than competitors, Google’s eye for improvement has been far-reaching, and they have used that circumspection to pounce on new ideas before others, thus gaining an advantage so substantial that some worry [...]

WMU should establish a center for creative thinking

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010Hasan Al Momani (Western Herald)Creative thinking is a skill that enables us to look at problems and life deeply. It makes us see the third dimension of things in our life, which helps us overcome problems and find better solutions. Some people think that creative thinking is innate and others think it is acquired through learning [...]

Repeated cuts in Michigan’s education funding appalling

Sunday, February 14th, 2010m appalled that the state legi (slature continues to cut fundi)I’ng for higher education year after year.  We all know the state’s economy has seen better days, but repeated cuts have put higher education funding in jeopardy. In the past decade, the cost of a college education has increased almost exponentially. While the state used to provide [...]

Editorial Cartoon: Feb. 11, 2010

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 ()

Herald Editorial: Google shouldn’t give up in China despite security breach

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010When Google announced that it (might abandon its ventures in )China, users of Google’s technology brought flowers to Google’s headquarters in China. Google’s sign at their office in China is short and modest, and with flowers stuck between the raised letters of the company logo and still more flowers heaped all along its base the [...]

Downtown Kzoo and WMU – an unrealized relationship

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010For the last sev (eral years), leaders from Western Michigan University and Downtown Kalamazoo Inc. have worked together to foster a sense of solidarity between WMU and the surrounding area. I think there are still some serious hurdles that need to be overcome, including infrastructure, commercial entities catering specifically to students, and uniting WMU students with [...]

Editorial cartoon: Feb. 8, 2010

Sunday, February 7th, 2010 ()

Fixing up East Campus, if only gradually, will give university real 100-year-old feel

Sunday, February 7th, 2010 as well as current graduate s (tudent of Western Michigan Uni)As an alumni,versity, I believe it is an absolute shame that the beautiful buildings of Historic East Campus continue to sit dormant and waste away while new buildings are constantly being constructed on West Campus. I would like to see the university consider renovating the buildings [...]

Re-use WMU’s priceless historic buildings

Sunday, February 7th, 2010 How about re-using the buildi (ngs you already have)Here’s a novel idea, WMU:? It seems to me that the goal to, “…tear down all the old on-campus apartments and have the new buildings replace them” is about as unsustainable and wasteful a practice as any that exists today. Today’s landfill waste is composed of over 30 percent [...]

New apartments will add much needed improvement

Sunday, February 7th, 2010Andrew Mell (Western Herald) It’s a well-known fact that most people like new and nice things. When it comes to living spaces, the quality and comfort of an apartment are considerable factors to those trying to decide where to live. With the recent announcement of the construction of new apartments on campus, it is evident that [...]

Editorial cartoon, Feb. 4, 2010

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 ()

WMU needs a text-message alert system for students

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010Hasan Al Momani (Western Herald)Communication technology is now widespread throughout most of American academic institutions. Many American universities have implemented highly developed technological methods to insure the transference of information to students quickly, especially in the event of severe weather conditions and other emergency situations. The wisdom behind using these technological devices is to help improve [...]

Letter to the editor: Western Herald shouldn’t objectify women

Sunday, January 31st, 2010I have been reading the Wester (n Herald since I started atten)ding WMU in 2005.  As I near the completion of my second degree from WMU, I still read the Herald as often as I am on campus.  Upon completing Thursday’s issue, I closed the paper and set it down, looking at the back of the [...]

Skewed Society

Sunday, January 31st, 2010Andrew Mell (Western Herald)Less than a week from now, butts will be glued to the couch for Super Bowl Sunday. The Super Bowl always provides a unique challenge for viewers as it’s one of the only times each year where people don’t want to leave the room during the commercials. It’s such a challenge finding time [...]

HERALD EDITORIAL: Promise protesters should redirect their discontent

Sunday, January 31st, 2010Several citizen action groups (have organized a protest to ta)ke place outside the State Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 3. This rally has good intentions to voice Michigan students’ frustration over the loss of Michigan Promise scholarship funding, although a bit misguided in its direction. We stated previously the Western Herald’s belief that Michigan Promise payments should [...]