The SGA President at this University has presented his ideas to the general education ad hoc committee. He seems to think that it needs to be broadened to give students more options. That is the opposite of most of the drafts from the committee itself. They seem to agree on the fact that the system should be reduced slightly to keep students moving through their education and out into the real world.

It seems that the major talking point for a system overhaul is the graduation rate. The concern makes sense. We should be pushing for students to get through the University in four years. Instead, some of us are struggling to get out of here in six. Adding two years of student loans to the pile of debt that a graduate has already accumulated is nothing to take lightly, but we might not be looking at the whole picture.

Is the general education program really to blame? Have we settled on that as a definitive cause or is that our scapegoat? The system might need a small tweak, but only if we are addressing the closely related issues, which assist in holding back students, as well.

Take, for example, our advising system. Too many students have no idea what they should be taking when the add/drop period rolls around. This isn’t due to the fact that they haven’t had a meeting with their advisor, but it seems that some of those doing the guidance might not have all the answers either.

The degree evaluation system is too screwy. It’s complicated enough to figure out that you’re supposed to be taking a course when you are, but telling whether or not you’ve fulfilled an entire study area is another. Then what happens when the advisor is correct in their suggestions, but the student cannot get into the desired class?

Block scheduling. This was supposed to happen a long time ago, but we’re still stuck. For some reason, people cannot get what they want when it comes time for them to register. Where that problem stems from is irrelevant; it needs to be fixed. Students still have courses during the “university hour”and classes are over booked. With a fix to an online system that controls scheduling, this could easily be avoided.

Even with all the systems in place, the students should be held responsible completely. It’s their education and if they want to get out of here, it would behoove them to research what it takes to do so.

General education has opened a lot of doors for many students at this University and a scalping of the system would certainly take away from the exposure that someone gets to a new major. It’s a program that can turn a communication major into a business major. Letting a student experience a new discipline should always be a priority.

A well-rounded education is what differentiates a college from a trade school. Before we are quick to point the finger at general education, and subsequently wait to see if its reform changes anything, let’s make sure that we tackle any other existing issues as well. When the committees meet to decide what our programs should be, we hope that they take into account all sides. We should not just do what makes more sense financially, or somehow visually, for our university.

Growing up I used to view the pro bowl as having two purposes. One would be the final chance to see my favorite Giants players play before the excruciatingly long six months until August preseason play and the second being the final marker to end the football season.

Now, a few years wiser and less than a handful of seasons since they moved the game to the week before the Super Bowl. I can’t find a reason to make me want to watch game, especially this year when my team is making an Indianapolis appearance.

I have absolutely no incentive to tune into the game other than there’s nothing else to watch on TV. However, the players voted into the game have all the reason in the world to play. Doesn’t matter to the athletes if the game is nothing more than a boring, backyard pickup game, they still get a free trip to Hawaii, $50,000 if they win and $25,000 if they lose … it’s a win-win for everyone, that is other than the fans.

Can we really call it a pro bowl if some of the best athletes in the game aren’t playing because the Super Bowl is next weekend? No we probably can’t.

I hate to keep bringing up the NHL in situations like this, but how can I not when the NHL All-Star weekend falls on the same two days as the pro bowl?

The NFL needs to take note of what the NHL does; maybe then the pro bowl would be worth the fans’ time.

All-Star Weekend events actually began on Thursday when the two teams were drafted. No, the teams aren’t divided by division or conference, instead, two captains are voted in and it’s up to them to draft their team. The last person drafted gets a new car, but it’s also entertaining for the fans to watch.

The rest of the weekend included a day full of skills competitions, some taken more seriously than others, and a final All-Star game, throw in a surprise performance by Drake and you’ve got something worth watching.

Don’t get me wrong, the game isn’t Stanley Cup caliber, but these athletes still have a good four months left to their season, what excuses do the football players have?

I laughed when a friend of mine said, “Does any All-Star game matter? No, they just do it for the money,” because I don’t agree with that. Maybe the players in the NFL do it for the perks, but the NHL players? Some get monetary incentives built into their contract just in case, but nothing like the NFL’s level. As far as I can tell the All-Star break is literally just that, a few days mid-season for the players to relax and have fun, nothing to do with money.

For as long as professional sports are around there will be pros, but not many athletes can call themselves “All-Stars.”

With campaign ads all around us, do college students know who’s running for the Republican Party and who has dropped out the race?

So far, five republican candidates have dropped out, leaving six candidates in the race. It seems as if only four of them matter with the spotlight they have been receiving.

Newt Gringrich and Mitt Romney have been pointing fingers at each other in interviews and campaign ads.

The other two Republican rivals are Rick Santorum and Ron Paul, who are getting less airtime.

Every election campaign seems to have something in common. Unless politics is your major or attracts your interest, most people don’t seem to acknowledge candidates in the run for presidency. This month will show us who is worthy and who has no chance in being elected.

Americans should want to know who is running for election because of our opportunity to vote in this country.

Candidates have their reason and goals for running. They will say anything to get elected, but voters should follow each candidate closely and do a little research on the candidates and get a better feeling for them.

With the job market being as it is, some feel it doesn’t matter who gets elected because no one person can change that. But who is saying what?

Rick Santorum wants to cut $5 billion of federal spending within five years. He would do so by cutting spending on defense and on social programs. Mitt Romney wants to repeal every Obama-era regulation, for example ‘Obamacare.’ Romney wants to open up new markets for American goods.

Newt Gringrich wants to convert America into an energy saving country by becoming less dependent on oil and using more natural resources. He also wants to eliminate the Obamacare and begin his own healthcare plan called “Patient Power” that will save money and be more affordable. Gringrich wants to improve education by giving parents the opportunity to choose their child’s school and future. He is also willing to work with a new immigration system that will let immigrants stay here through a program.

If Ron Paul becomes president, his goals are to cut $1 trillion in spending, lowering corporate taxes to 15 percent giving America the ability to compete in the global market and, like the rest of the Republican party, erase Obamacare.

We might not know what president will make the best decisions, but if you pay attention to what the candidates are saying you can help make an informed choice this coming fall that could help shape this country.

It’s no surprise that the Boston Bruins travelled to the White House this past week to celebrate their Stanley Cup win President Obama, in fact it’s pretty fair to say it’s tradition. Winning a professional championship and visiting the President nearly go hand in hand.

What did come as a surprise to a lot of people is the fact that Bruins goalie, Tim Thomas chose to skip the meet and greet, which he has said he would do for months.

Peter Chiarelli, Boston’s general manager said in interviews that they’ve tried to convince Thomas to go and enjoy the time with the team, especially since he was one of the most crucial players during the Stanley Cup run, but Thomas stood his ground and personally I think he did the right thing.

I don’t mind that Thomas chose not to go and no one else should either and to be honest I was probably more upset that the President chose to call Brad Marchand a “little ball of hate” than I was not to see number 30 standing in for the press photo op.

James Harrison of the Pittsburgh Steelers refused twice to go to the White House twice, so Thomas is far from the first and he probably won’t be the last.

In fact I like that Thomas opted not to go, if he feels so strongly about his political views then so be it. He has just as much right to refuse to take part in the event as I do to write this column. Some may look at him differently now for declining to meet President Obama, but I’m proud to know that a member of the team I root for is willing to stand up for what he thinks is right.

On the other side of things I can’t help but want to say, who cares? Sure, I love reading about how the players go to hospitals and different charity events off the ice, but any fan will tell you, what a player does on the ice or field is the most important.

All I care about is whether or not Thomas continues to play well and put up good numbers so the team doesn’t have to completely rely on Tuukka Rask. I would’ve been more upset if the team decided to suspend him for missing a team event, which thankfully they’re choosing not to do.

If he’s not penalized by his team then he shouldn’t be penalized by the public either. Take his decision for what you will, but meeting the President or not meeting him doesn’t change what kind of player he really is.

If you take a look at our campus, you can already see where the money is going. With a new academic building on the way for 2013 as well as future plans for a new residence hall, cafeteria and police station, it is evident that our money is being put to good use. It is not being spent in ways that will not benefit the entire student body or being funneled to a certain department.

Some may argue that they will not be here to set foot into any of these new buildings, but one must remember the welfare of this university will follow you after graduation. When asked what university you attended in the near future, one should feel a sense of pride that you graduated from CCSU. That pride can grow over the years as you continue to see CCSU prosper. If one were to discuss the state that this university was in 30 years ago, you would be astonished to see the improvements that  have been made. Alumni continue to come back to take part in the CCSU community and events because they are proud of the accomplishments the university has made.

Taking a look at other universities in Connecticut that do not fall under the CSU schools’ jusrisdiction, the amount that students have to pay in order to receive an education is well above what the average student here has to pay. A commuter student at Quinnipiac University pays $36,000 per year, where at CCSU an in-state resident pays approximately $18,000. The difference between the two is significant, and should be enough to convince CSU students that an extra $600-700 is really nothing in comparison.

UConn will raise its tuition by six percent for the fall semester and in-state undergraduates will pay $22,430, while also facing a steady climb to an almost seven percent increase by 2016. These hikes were unanimously approved in December and also adds to the fact that our tuition could be more expensive if the Board was to use UConn as a benchmark.

Students at CCSU enjoy looking down on this university for countless reasons, but they need to realize that the fact the university is making an effort to improve itself and its facilities is commendable. Education is an industry in the U.S., unlike most other countries, and we should all feel priveleged and want to contribute towards improvment. Thinking about all that a student can do with their time at CCSU, it seems like a 3.7 percent increase is a small sacrifice when looking at the big picture.

Our university has a plethora of clubs, committees and sponsored events that students can take advantage of and, even though there are many that do not jump at these opportunities, that is no reason to say that one should not want to pay a small increase in tuition. There are many at this school that want to take full advantage of what the university has to offer, and we should not forfeit that because of a lack of state funding.

After what was, to say the least, a fiery string of debates between all of the candidates that led up to the New Hampshire and Iowa primaries, one can’t help but wonder what is going to happen when all of these opposing “cliques” of voters have to finally vote for one official Republican candidate.

During the New Hampshire, debate Huntsman claimed that Romney has a tendency to “flip-flop” and that “He doesn’t have what it takes to beat President Obama”, which we all know is the party’s main interest. Now that Huntsman has announced that he is endorsing Romney, how can voters trust his most recent pledge, when just last week he was condemning Romney? Is this a last-ditch effort to gain a Vice Presidential seat?

With the approaching South Carolina Primary, and some of the most vicious lines of attacks yet seen in this race, we can only assume that the tensions will rise further and worsen the already crumbling foundation the party has built themselves on.

What Republicans need to be worried about (if they aren’t already), is the idea of disjointed voters and the chance that they may lose their vote because they are still pent up and passionate about what they were spoon-fed during the primaries.

The conservative party can’t expect the voters to drop their own values and political ideologies at the drop of a hat just for the sake of the Republicans gaining control in the White House.

For many college students who are unsure of what party to affiliate themselves with, or who to vote for, hearing a candidate change gears that quickly and support the same person who they claimed was incapable of getting Obama out of office does not instill a vote of confidence in the candidates’ values and policies.

The candidates are supposed to be a reflection of the people they represent. In this case they are not. They are being naive to the fact that their followers have loyalties and biases against the other candidates. The voters that they are looking for will be looking for a reason to not vote for Obama, but first the former candidates will need to be convincing in the fact that we should vote for their former enemies after months of berating them.

If party members can change their views so abruptly in the primaries, what’s stopping them from doing it again once they are in Office?

The human race is doomed. We can see the end of the Mayan calendar approaching and most of us passed through ‘judgment day’ without fretting. If this prophecy turns out to be true, I’m afraid to hear what my judgment was. In fact, most of us should be fearful of that, but we were all busy pointing and laughing at Harold Camping, the pastor who got his rapture predictions to the forefront of the evening news, back tracking on what he said to his undiscerning followers for the past 25 years. His terminal lack of conviction to his faith not only destroyed his reputation, but is just one example of the many of where we are headed as a species.

There’s something to be said for someone with consistency in today’s world. An individual who doesn’t step back from what they preach and believe in should be carried around on a throne while the rest of us watch from below. These types of people will make decisions that may defy the logic of the masses, but it will fall in with their other choices so fittingly that they needn’t think twice.

What do Woody Allen, Tim Tebow and Ron Paul all have in common? Beyond the fact that they share the same skin color, there is nothing that most notice. One is a physical specimen. He’s a dominating fullback who plays the quarterback position for the Denver Broncos. The other two men are frail in comparison and make up for their muscular inefficiencies with their verbal and artistic prowess and whopping nasal cavities.

Allen is well known for his self-pitting comedies against his own psyche and that of society. He has an obsession with Manhattan and the Jews that fill it. He may be my favorite filmmaker of all time, but is more recognized in Spain than he is in his own country. Throughout his 60-year career, he’s had the same stances on love, religion and award-show ceremonies.

Tim Tebow. He’s become a cultural phenomenon for a number of reasons. One being that he is playing quarterback in a style that is completely his own. The other is more baffling and makes our society look immature. He’s a very religious person and that is no secret. ‘Tebowing’ is a gesture that mocks his ritual of praying after a great play on the field. Where the line is drawn to make fun of someone’s religion is a complete juxtaposition to the moral steadiness he’s shown during his career.

Ron Paul took 20 years to run again for Presidential office in 2008. This year he’s having a decently strong showing in the primaries, but beyond that he’s turning heads for his deeply rooted political beliefs. Many of his stances haven’t changed in the 24 years between campaigns.

We’ve seen far too many political, athletic and celebrity figures waiver around what they think is right. Tiger Woods was seen as a family man before he drove his Escalade, and marriage along with it, into a tree. Mitt Romney, Herman Cain and Rick Santorum seem to change their stances on something as frequently as the Republican Party hosts a televised debate. And please, don’t get me started on Michael Moore.

This past weekend exemplified how steady Allen, Paul and Tebow are.

Allen didn’t show up to the Golden Globes. He was unable to accept his award for best screenplay. In fact, I’m not sure that he’s accepted any of his 95 awards for his work. He has been public about the fact that he doesn’t see the value in any award shows and has only showed up to one Academy Awards ceremony. That ceremony was in the winter following Sept. 11. He was asked to present a short film about the history of cinema in New York. It was only because of his love for the city that he left his house and attended the event.

The GOP candidates are dropping left and right. The latest is Jon Hunstman. He felt that it would be better for the party if he no longer ran against the others. However, with each figure that drops out, with them go their platforms. Paul will not go down until the party acknowledges his views on the structure of the government. It’s that steadiness that is telling the voting public that he isn’t going to bend his beliefs for additional punches on a ballot.

Before and after each game that Tebow plays, he hosts an underprivileged or handicapped child. Immediately following the loss to the Patriots this week, where his offense looked like they were playing against their will, he went and hung out with Zach McCleod, a young man who sustained a severe brain injury while playing football. His faith finds its way into his post game interviews because it is real. It’s more real than the skills he has as a quarterback in the National Football League, but his faith is first and foremost. That will inevitably turn off his fans, but that’s not his concern.

When a decision you make is questioned it’s hard not to feel the pressure of changing your stance on that subject. Unfortunately, individuals like Tebow and Allen are the minority in a society that features a plethora of egotistical morons who only care about their ratings or if they’re liked or not. Stand up for what you believe in and stop selling yourself out to what others want you to be.

Without people who could do that we wouldn’t be where we are as a society. The civil rights movement wasn’t the popular thing to participate in at the time. The rebels were the minority in the revolution that founded this country, but that didn’t stop them. Let’s not declare that people are committing acts of moral turpitude until we pause and look at how well grounded their decisions have always been.

Today’s news coverage, which is driven by ratings, has become a key component to a heavily-scrutinized industry. Cain and the supporters around him have found out how berating those organizations can be.

The ‘24-hour news cycle’ can put the spotlight on an issue for a once-unimaginable amount of time. Cain found that out the hard way. It was a lesson he should have known he was going to get.

The fact that John Edwards couldn’t get a haircut in 2007 without the public knowing should have been an obvious indicator of what he was getting himself into, but he didn’t hesitate.

At his peak, Cain was a major contender in the race to represent the Republican Party in next year’s Presidential election. Now he is, more than likely, backing out after allowing the accusations against him to pile high for all to see.

It’s nearly impossible for a publication with our limited size, and therefore  limited access to national sources, to gain any information that hasn’t already been made mainstream. However, if the sexual misconduct claims against him are true, then no one should question whether or not he should have ran. He shouldn’t have.

Cain claims that he is only “suspending” his bid for the nomination, but he should now know that he cannot resurrect this failed attempt. He would be foolish to even try.

There are two things that the media does especially well; one is that it informs the people of scandals involving anyone in the public spotlight. That ranges from political figures to reality television stars. The other strength is its ability to get that message into our homes with overwhelming force.

Cain should be seen by others contemplating their candidacy as the poster boy for what they can expect to face. They should have been paying attention to the missteps he’s made this year. The first of which, in hindsight, may have been his decision to run at all.

He must have known that something like this would happen. It’s the media’s self-imposed job, and some would argue duty, to find dirt on these candidates. They once again have shown that their consistency is unmatched.

It’s possible he thought he was an untouchable asset. He could have believed that the Republican Party would protect him from any onslaught against his moral and criminal record.

This wasn’t the best time for him to underestimate news media’s collective power.

His image will be forever tarnished. A formal resignation is nothing but an admittance of guilt in the public’s mind and the networks will help to reiterate that.

While it’s easy to point out the holes in our coverage of foreign affairs, the media has left no doubts that they are well-versed in domestic muckraking.

The question isn’t whether or not he should have run, but why did he think he could hide any information from the trained journalists who would be methodically probing into his past?

We can’t afford to have a person with that level of naiveté running our country.

For any prospective candidate with a messy past, let Herman Cain be a lesson that you cannot outrun any actions. You’re better off keeping your less-examined seat in Congress than destroying your image altogether.