Full disclosure: I graduated from Marywood College in Scranton, now Marywood University, in 1983. I have used this space to express my feelings on things the school has done well, and things the school has done poorly.
The student news site (can't call it a "newspaper" because it doesn't publish in print) has been doing this thing the last several years, where the students issue a grade.
This year, Marywood merits a "D."
Are you kidding me?
The article on the web site lays it all out-- things that have gone well, areas where the writers feel the school has come up short. I get it. Marywood is running in the red. Things are changing. There aren't as many faculty members and staffers as there used to be. Safety/security is always a worry.
My concerns deal with that D.
All I can picture is a high school kid, in a bedroom or library, researching prospective colleges. The kid sees the D, and quickly moves on to the next school. Why would anyone want to go to a college where the students grade it a D? You've lost a student, a customer. A sad cycle begins anew.
I applaud the students for exposing what they see as deficiencies, areas where Marywood has fallen short. Every organization can benefit from a critical eye.
However, there are more elegant and creative ways to say it.
