It represents my current impression of the university system and our overall education and research mission within Texas. This seems somehow disappointing. These are the questions that should motivate us to work the long hard hours preparing for our classes, or doing research. The University is after all responsible for the maintenance of knowledge and culture in society. I am dismayed by the lack of intellectual community.
Students gripe about the amount of reading, the level of reading, the demands of good classes.
The best of times for me while here at the university have been spent in the classroom both learning and teaching, developing independent research ideas, and taking part in leadership activities around the campus. Because I truly believe that the university, and yes even a state supported university, can be a tremendous place to live, learn, and teach. It is our responsibility to demand the best from a system that seems bent on a mediocre standard. We as graduate students play a vital role in the system, it is time that we stand up and make ourselves heard. We need to educate each other about the importance of our work, and then transmit that information to our students, families, and state.