Issue date: 8/29/07 Section: From the Editors Desk

Media Credit: Allen Stith Morgan State welcome sign on the intersection of Hillen Road and Cold Spring Lane

Welcome Back Morganites! The Fall 07 semester is upon us, and with it brings a renewed chance to shine, both inside the classroom, and out. This new semester brings many changes to the campus, and many upgrades that all students will be able to take advantage of. Just as last Fall brought us the New Student Center, this fall semester brings us new updates to the student center, a new look across various parts of the campus, and an increased focus on providing the best experience available for all Morganites.

For the returning students, it'll be back to normal with not so much as a bump in the road, but for the freshman, it can certainly be a confusing and overwhelming experience. Managing and adjusting schedules, tracking down classrooms, balancing a budget while away from home, and adjusting to life on campus are just some of the trials that the new student will have to adjust to.

Fortunately, the students aren't alone in these endeavors. Morgan State University offers a plethora of services and departments which exist to assist the student. One such department is the Office of Student Affairs. We had the pleasure of speaking with Mrs. Anitra Leach, an Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs, and were able to glean a bit of information that may be of assistance to incoming students.

When asked about what steps the Student Affairs office takes to ensure a smooth transition into the new semester, Mrs. Leach offered a solid first choice of words. "I just pray," she said, transitioning into a smile. "When we get the calls and the visits, we just take the time we need to ensure that the students understand what they came to understand. We don't want to ring them around, and to accomplish this, we take them on a student-to-student basis."

The conversation then turned to the estimated ratio between prepared students and those that come unprepared. "I'd say about 80 percent are unprepared," said Mrs. Leach, drinking from her water bottle. We then asked if the University could do anything to raise those numbers. "Morgan needs to put more information out for the students," she began, after answering a call. "There needs to be more avenues for information to be directed towards students, but at the same time, those students must also be willing to use what mediums they're being given."

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools