Double outsider

In September, the IDS ran an Opinion front reacting to the findings of Cathy Small, a Northern Arizona University anthropology professor who enrolled as a university freshman to gain insight into her undergraduate students' behavior. During the course of my term as the IDS Opinion editor, I've felt a lot of kinship for Small. I'm a double outsider: a graduate student in a mostly undergraduate organization (though more grad students are involved than you'd think) and a nonjournalist who's working for a newspaper.\nThis isn't to say I've felt unwelcome -- my colleagues have turned out to be terrific friends -- but it gives me a somewhat detached perspective and perhaps a bit of cover to say a couple things that others might want to say but can't.\n• On the School of Journalism. Look, I'm not a journalism student -- I've never even taken a journalism class -- so I can only comment on what I've observed. That said, throughout this semester, I've heard students repeatedly express concern about the education and services provided by the School of Journalism. There is frustration that the courses offered are more focused on abstract theories (say, about the media's impact on society) than how to actually perform professional journalism. There is also criticism aimed at the school's difficulty in placing students after graduation. Perhaps these are persistent, unavoidable gripes -- professors necessarily focus on theory and journalism is a hard field to make it in. All I can say is that the dissatisfaction is there, and as all schools and departments are continually looking for areas to improve, these might be some places to start.\n• On undergraduate life. As an alumnus of the College of Wooster, a small liberal-arts school in Ohio, my undergraduate experience was considerably different from that of an IU undergraduate. This semester has been a real window into the life of an IU undergrad -- far more so than my 4 1/2 years of giving lectures. Now, the IDSers aren't typical undergrads. The newsroom regulars have to be highly driven to keep up with the paper's demands. They're more engaged in campus events and they're embedded in a more expansive social network than, I suspect, your average atomized student. But I think there are some things to take away from their experience For one, they crave relevance from their courses. Academics (including yours truly) might value knowledge for its own sake, but if you want to get through to your students, you have to demonstrate that your course is important to their lives. For another, many are struggling to balance complex schedules of classes, jobs and social activities, and it makes me wonder if making them sit through a 50- or 75-minute lecture is the best way to provide an education under these circumstances.\nI could say much more, but my space is short. I've learned a lot this semester, and I thank all those involved in giving me the opportunity.