Cabrini’s desire to be the latest and greatest institution has resulted in widespread disapproval. The argument for the amount of living space has grown quite old during the past few years. Students have been crammed into every closet on the soon-to-be concrete campus with a pillow, a roommate and a dream- all to ensure a future that, in the administrations eyes, appears promising. The current school population, however, seems to be far from supportive of all the new developments.
Seniors have been forced to find off-campus housing and deal with ridiculous parking accommodations. The large amount of money students pay to go to school at Cabrini is constantly weighing on their minds. The students cannot see the big picture of how the new buildings will benefit the school in the future and that is because the administration is not opening their eyes.
Many of the students currently enrolled at the school are here for four years and four years only. These four years are expected to be the most enjoyable times of our lives before we venture out into the real world. Recently, however, the students have had a difficult time finding satisfaction with their stay at Cabrini.
A “transitional period” is a good way to describe what Cabrini is going through. The transition is due to Cabrini’s quest to become larger and compete with its peers. Bad timing is one way to describe the current student’s enrollment at Cabrini. Being shuffled from room to room and denied freedom after freedom are the negative results of the transitional period.
The newest construction on the small campus will be the West Residence Hall. Additional parking losses at the apartments and Houses 6 and 7 will tighten the squeeze of restrictions on the students.
It is imperative that the administration and the staff of Cabrini show students how the improvements will help the school in future years. If they fail to do so, a great deal of tradition and respect at the school will be lost.
Created by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, the school was originally occupied by just a few women with personality. Their personalities reflected kindness and respect for one another. This attitude is one that has remained with Cabrini to the present day.
The essence of Cabrini crafted by the Missionary Sisters is something that could easily be forgotten if we solely focus on development and expansion. Leaders of the school must remember the past and keep in mind what made the school what it is today; the students.
Therefore, if Cabrini College aims at maintaining the respectful reputation and tradition that the school was built upon, they must find a way to create positive awareness with the students. Let the students know how important they are to Cabrini. Make sure they know that they played an important role in developing Cabrini into whatever the administration “wants” it to be- rather than just communicating with bulldozers, cement trucks and the occasional email.
The lack of approval of the school today is unfortunate. Making strides to appease the Cabrini community is a necessity. After all, it will be the students who the school will look to for future enrollment of their children.
Posted to the web by Ryan Norris
