Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Regarding Julie Kim’s article of May 7, “Annual athlete turnover a trend in ULV sports,” I have two comments. First of all, whether intended or not, the implied message of the article is that there is a problem with student-athletes dropping out of sports at ULV. I think a bigger problem is the number of students who drop out of ULV, period. Over four years, our dropout rate is about 50 percent. In other words, when you are in a freshman class and look around the room, half of you will not be around for graduation. I am sure that our student retention rate is directly related to the same factors cited in the article – time management, finances, and/or ability to get along with faculty. However, one of the factors that keeps students coming to La Verne in spite of these obstacles is being engaged in the life of the University. Being in theater, music, athletics, Greek life, residence hall life, and student government to name a few, puts students in with a cohort of fellow students and faculty/staff mentors who take an interest in individuals and their problems, and this seems to help retention rate.

My second comment again concerns the implication that student-athlete dropout is a problem. There are more positive things to focus on than a perceived problem with student-athlete dropout rates. On April 29, approximately 80 athletes out of almost 400 who compete representing the University of La Verne were honored with a lunch – not for athletic excellence, although many have earned those honors as well. This lunch was to acknowledge those student-athletes who have achieved a 3.5 GPA as well as participated in sports. The student-athletes were joined by invited faculty and staff members who have had an influence on the successes of the student-athletes in the classroom. At the University of La Verne, our student-athletes are students first. This is shown by the academic achievements of those who put out the extra effort to not only represent our University, but to succeed in the classroom as well.

Paul Alvarez
Professor of Movement and Sports Science

Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to Josh Martin’s letter supporting gay marriage [May 7]. I feel the overwhelming need to speak up on behalf of those who oppose it. Perhaps it is time for the silent majority to stop being so silent.

The biggest inherent problem I see in this movement is the contradiction that exists in the plight for liberation. Homosexuals seek equality. They want to escape from being labeled and categorized. However, a predicament arises because this same group exhausts the term “homophobic.” A person cannot disagree with their lifestyle without somehow being deemed hateful and fearful. These same people who so adamantly seek equality turn around and label those who have different convictions and do not comply with their mindset. It’s funny how that works.

So I tend to question how many people so truly oppose homosexuality yet quietly step aside in fear of being categorized themselves. If that is how a group seeks liberation, then that is the true tragedy because those who oppose are being compliant solely to appear politically correct.

Yes, heterosexuals have devalued marriage themselves. Yet it is still my personal right to disagree with homosexuality in the same manner as I disagree with premarital sex. That does not mean I see individuals through those two filters. If anyone would take the time to sit down and dig to the core of each side, maybe we could get beyond name-calling. So until people know why they believe something rather than conveniently following the crowd, let me know how it is at the bottom of the cliff.

Desiree Whipperman
Senior