Congratulations, You've been accepted!

Receiving an acceptance letter from a university is a highlight for every 

graduating senior and a proud moment for parents.

Unfortunately, most parents and students have no idea of the climate 

at many universities across the country, as its not mentioned in 

promotional literature.

Universities will describe the outstanding programs to prepare

students for careers of their choice, providing a wide range of 

offerings that allows students to broaden their horizons beyond 

the rigors of career preparation.

Every aspect of university living is described, albeit one, the 'cultural 

climate' , often an inhibiting factor students and parents have the

right to know about., but never do, until they arrive on campus.

This is not about ideological education which parents have learned

to accept, the price they pay so their children will get a diploma that

hopefully  will open doors throughout their lives.  

This goes much deeper, it borders on anarchy, shutting down schools

unless they comply to demands.

Its time questions need to be raised.

Shouldn't universities be required to provide information on what 

occurs on campus beyond the boundaries of education? 

Shouldn't students learn that some have free speech while others 

are muzzled?

Don't  parents who pay tens of thousands of dollars in tuition have the 

right know of  the protests and sit-ins by students meant to disrupt

their child's education until contrived demands are met? 

What was once a rare occurrence has become routine at universities 

large and small whether they are highly acclaimed or run of the mill.  

Also, such protests are not spontaneous, there is a commonality.

The same problems found at Dartmouth were found in Univ. of Minn.

Spontaneity is the last word to describe what is going on!

Why bring this up now?  Perhaps, because what is going on across 

the country is happening in my backyard, at UNC-Chapel Hill!

The concern needs to go beyond the demands of protesting students,

it should also apply to the "adults", the ones who produce  appealing

college literature and cash the tuition checks!

Rather than clearly defining the boundaries of behavior and defend

administration policies most university presidents admit fault for 

whatever criticism protesters have, apologize and, in the case of the 

University of Missouri, resign!

So much seems to be unraveling at institutions around us, much we 

ignore. But when the toxicity touches our children directly we must

protest as well!

Its also time for university presidents to display a backbone.

Replies to ajbruno14@gmail.com

When is migration an invasion?

The most recent crisis is the one of Syrian "refugees" seeking to escape an ongoing civil war. As so often happens Western nations are the first to offer help. But, are the people leaving Syria really refugees? Or is something else happening and the West is either too blind or gullible to see. This exodus began over three months ago as migrants came in waves, with spontaneity, traveling across the Mediterranean in boats readily available, welcomed in Turkey, and refusing to stop in Greece and Hungary, until they reached their desired destinations, countries with the strongest economies and best quality of living. Being choosy came easy to them. There was little if any skepticism why this exodus occurs now, when the civil war has been going on for more than three years. Were boats not available sooner to take them to Europe? Looking deeper we may find this was more than an exodus, it may be something more. Those who question this migration are called heartless, a successful tactic of those who do not want to have a serious discussion. This is why so many European and American politicians were quick to offer legal refugee status and welcoming tens of thousands with more to come. No leader dared question what was going on, or wondered if this was a spontaneous migration or a well orchestrated one? The nations eager to accept the million or more Syrians should have first considered some troubling factors obvious to all who bothered to look. Begin with the makeup of the migrants arriving in Europe. More than 80% are young men. This is unusually odd on a couple of counts. First, women and children usually receive preference escaping war zones. I am unaware if there was ever a 'refugee' crisis where at least half the people were women and young children. Also, why didn't able bodied young Syrian men stay to fight? A second point, why would such a mass exodus want to travel so far from their homeland? It makes sense to leave a war torn nation, but not to travel more than more than 3000 miles to Western Europe when stable Arab states are much closer. A third point, the Arab states have a population of nearly 350 million, a shade under Western Europe, and can easily take in the millions from Syria. Yet not one is offering refugee status. Questions need to asked and suitably answered before Western nations go forward with this migration. I am sure these points were never seriously discussed, not in Washington, not in Europe and most disappointingly, not in the media. Whatever the urgency to bring 1-3 million migrants to Western nations, when governments act hastily unpleasant surprises are not far behind.