[Jasmen8182]

We recently heard Jim Weiss, a storyteller who now lives in Charlottesville. He gave a very interesting "history lesson." It gave me a refreshed admiration for historical figures....

[FlamingYalieWahoo]

Ok here's my quip for today - I think Jiffy-Pop should have contributed a little something towards the Vines Center - it does look like a giant advertisement for that product. BTW does anyone have any suggestions for improvements at LU - facilities, academic programs, etc? That was my original intent for this thread. Dream a little! I would like to see something that would move LU up in the US News rankings for academics. Usually alums donate for facilities improvements - new buidlings and such or they endow academic chairs (but since LU does not have a tenure system but only one year renewable contracts this would have to be modified) or a program in a particular area.

[absturgill]

Having been on campus for HC, I can say that the growth around Liberty is AMAZING. I like PAMedic's idea of a paramedic unit. I remeber seeing an EMT vehicle at LU that was a Chevy Tahoe type vehicle. Any word on when the 3rd and 4th floors of DeMoss will be complete and if so, what schools are going to be going in there.

I was also suprised to see how much good space LU has left in "Ericcson" They have done an great amount of work but they have a good amount of space left for use. It might be nice to see them put in a "convention center" type space for outside groups that want to have meetings and conventions on campus. It is incredible to see all that is in that building (Law School, TRBC, Offices, Seminary, IT, LCA, ...)

[01LUGrad]

I am all for protecting the lives of the students (I have taken a couple of rides in 'bulances myself), but I wonder what the need really is for on-campus ambulance(s). Would it work better to provide members of the LUPD with first response medical training? Maybe they already get this training.

Again, don't take this like I am advocating the death of LU students due to lack of medical staff [cue the latest political attack ad], I just wonder if LU worked more closely with Lynchburg's rescue units, care would be sufficient.

[A.G.]

Listen, my recommendation goes completely contrary to what JF is trying to accomplish (25K in his lifetime). The time has come for the university to tighten admission standards (of course, even having standards would be a start). Yes, some may say it is a good mission to welcome Your tired, your hungry, your huddled masses, your GED and 700 SAT's, and I can't disagree with that. Heck, some of us fell in that category and LU (or LBC) was the only college to which we gained admission.

However, for the university to thrive, standards must be set, and the bar must be raised. Attract a better student, then better students will follow. For the most part, those are the students whom are going to develop into successful alumni, and end up donating the big bucks when all the old guard JF ministry folks die off. Face it, the university cannot rely on the support from the Williams and LeHaye families forever.

Sadly, I would see this falling on deaf ears. I would rather see quality entering (and graduating) from the university we all have a passion for. Other schools in Virginia have been able to grow BECAUSE of their academics. I think it time for Liberty to do the same.

[Purple Haize]

Here is where I think the dilio is:
People have different perspectives on LU. (I will pause to give this revelation time to sink in!!)
There are those who were around back in the day and see where LU has come from and think it is great. They compare NOW to THEN and NOW wins every single time!!! Then there are those who compare LU to comparable size universities and find it lacking. IF another school with a stated admissions of anywhere between 10 - 12K students "on campus" had the same facilities I think it would be looked at the same way. When these two groups get closer together intheir visions, things MAY change

[A.G.]

IF "Christian is supposed to be better" is to be applied to athletics, here's a novel idea: apply it to academics.

[PeterParker]

Liberty can solve the

welcome Your tired, your hungry, your huddled masses, your GED and 700 SAT's

by adopting the Diocese model...establishing a junior college in order to accept the low scores and create competition to get into LU. If they had a junior college or similar concept somewhere on or near the mountain (buyout of CVCC facility?), then those students would still have access to all of LU's "atmosphere," events, student life, etc. Plus, graduate students in programs at LU could teach the junior college classes or act as assistants (for a Hollywood visual, think Rudy.)

Personally, I would like to see a more thought out long term approach to building and how to accomplish the sense of community through architecture and campus development that Jefferson, who's style LU purportedly emulates, originally incorporated into his designs.

Also more green with grassy areas and landscaping.

I was looking at some JMU pictures, and they have a really nice looking lake (at least in the pictures) that is on their campus (not sure if it was a man-made deal or not.) [Can we say Ravine/Vines/Circle Dorm Replacement--just kidding.]



Also roofs.



Also, LU has to be careful or other faith-based universities who have focused on raising the quality of the campus and academic reputation could eclipse the ol' LU as the best christian university and LU could lose command of its niche in the educational market (there is a difference between being the biggest and the best.) (These other faith-based institutions also don't have the inevitable baggage that comes from the PTB inserting themselves as political players on a national scene, which I submit is sometimes which elicits more of the backlash from the general public than the actual Christian thing--the political posturing.)

In keeping it sports related, LU's weekend opponent, Gardner-Webb, is a baptist university with the same philosophy as LU and it appears from their website that they have some nice stuff going on over there...[And they're ranked according to the USNews & World Report--so the excuse that christian institutions are not looked favorably on is neglible...if it is done right academically and aesthetically people take note in a positive light.)

http://www.gardner-webb.edu/

As a side note, this would have been nice during my LU tenure, rather than the laughable once per semester Open Dorm deal at LU. Taken from Gardner-Webb's Handbook:

One of those standards that GWU prides itself in is the ability to offer to the students a substance- free environment within each residence hall. There are designated smoke and tobacco use areas located outside each hall. Alcohol is prohibited from the Gardner-Webb campus.


The GWU visitation program allows guest of the opposite gender to visit a student's room during the designated visitation hours. Each member of the opposite gender is to be escorted at all times while visiting in the residence halls and should sign-in and sign-out on the appropriate forms located in each hall. In keeping with the safety and security standards of the University, students participating in visitation should keep their door open at all times when a guest of the opposite gender is present. We encourage family to visit the hall and request that the resident inform his/her residence life staff when family arrives during non-visitation hours. Siblings must be accompanied by a parent when visiting during non-visitation hours.


Each residence hall is equipped with a lobby area where students can meet for games, fellowship, movies, or to just hang out. Persons of the opposite gender may visit in the lobbies and/or lounge areas during established lobby visitation hours which are posted in the residence halls.

http://reslife.gardner-webb.edu/LCStandards.html

Someone at LU should keep abreast of what other institutions that share the same philosophy as LU are doing to ensure it maintains (or attains in some areas which may be lacking at present) its competitive edge in the education market (because after all, that's what education is now, a product--and an increasingly outlandishly expensive one at that.)

This concludes my insanely long input.

[PAmedic]

I am all for protecting the lives of the students (I have taken a couple of rides in 'bulances myself), but I wonder what the need really is for on-campus ambulance(s). Would it work better to provide members of the LUPD with first response medical training? Maybe they already get this training.

Again, don't take this like I am advocating the death of LU students due to lack of medical staff [cue the latest political attack ad], I just wonder if LU worked more closely with Lynchburg's rescue units, care would be sufficient.

oh man, don't get me started

here's the problem (and believe me, I've heard this argument a thousand times- I hear it in every municipal meeting I attend.) :

you cannot view unit placement based soley on statistical need or theoretical projected use, though it IS an important consideration. The reason is, we're not talking about the need for cans of paint, or gallons of milk here- we're talking about lives. If you have ONE cardiac arrest , or ONE trauma victim in a year- the medic unit needs to be there, ready to go. If not, the person dies. Expensive? Sure. But what's the value of a human life? 1 million dollars? A billion?

to an accountant- oh well, its just one person. Sad, but that's life. To the victims' FAMILIES- a human tragedy- should have been prevented at all costs. Then the lawsuits come.

Long winded point here- but the bottom line is: brain death occurs in 6-8 minutes. Now- factor in a delay in detection and notification of 1 or 2 minutes, another 30 sec to 1 min delay while 911 takes the call and transfers it to rescue, then dispatches the appropriate LFD unit. Yet another minute for that unit to hit the street and respond, and possibly up to 5 minutes to GET to the scene (depending on where the unit responds FROM : national standard is 10 minutes or less from responding to on scene)

Do the math. In that scenario- which is CONSERVATIVE by all estimates: at LEAST 9 minutes for LFD to arrive. Say goodbye to this victim and start making notifications. No chance. And those numbers were GOOD. (I know, this assumes a worst case scenario - but it happens daily- TRUST ME)

LUPD CAN be trained (and should be) to the PARAMEDIC level - they could carry the heart monitors and first round drugs capable of treating heart attacks, severe respiratory problems and manage trauma victims- and the response times would be phenominally better. Probably within 2-4 minutes onscene. The issue would then be, do you wait for the transport unit to arrive from a 3rd party (LFD, whomever) over whom you have no control, or do you outlay another 50-75k for a transport unit and have another officer or LU-EMS staff member bring it out to the scene. In my mind- you do it right, and handle the whole deal since you've already outlaid the majority of the cash already in hiring and training public safety officers and their ALS equipment . If this scenario plays out successfully ONE TIME per year- it pays for itself. Ask Jerry/Macel.

Final thought. Paramedic training as part of a degree program, Light Medical also oversees a volunteer unit made up of STUDENTS on campus who staff the unit 24/7, (relieving LUPD of the responibility) give the kids Christian Service credit and class hours/credits for staffing it. I'd also be willing to bet some kids come to school with EMT and firefighter training ALREADY, established in their home towns prior to enrolling at LU. Truly an untapped resource here.

END OF SERMON

[backintheday]

Purple Haize has a good point on the different perspectives of the university. As an old hag alum, I go back to the school and see the great progress. But, as a parent of a student, I see lots of things that could improve. The growth in number of students is fine, but quality is important. It seems to me that this would be a good time for the school to take a little bit of a breather from the growth and work on building the quality, both of the physical plant and the academics (I know this won't happen!). Its interesting that the current students still make the same jokes about the poor quality of the new buildings as we did back when the first buildings were put on the mountain. The columns may be Jeffersonian but the buildings won't last 50 years much less 200 years! Quality has always been a low priority. That all said, I still love and appreciate Liberty.