Excellence or mediocrity, which will you choose?

Alexander Robinson
Associate Editor

Some Jackson State University alumni who now serve as faculty, staff and administrators at the university can recall a time when JSU students were involved in political and civic engagement, and nourished a deep sense of pride for the university by being active supporters of student organizations, activities, and athletics.

Students wanted to know what was happening with their university and adamantly voiced their opinions if something occurred that they were opposed to. They came to JSU for the opportunity to acquire knowledge. Somewhere between this generation and the last, all of that changed.

Today, a growing number of students at JSU have embraced a continual state of apathy toward their college experience that is sure to be reflected in their lives. Many students are indifferent to political events, even those that may affect them.

Those who are involved in student organizations recognize that all of the work falls into the hands of a few, due to a lack of engaged students. Students oftentime may feel that they are powerless to the workings of the university.

Instead of seeking intellectual enlightenment, many students are seeking degrees, a fancy certificate, in order to find a job where they may receive a big paycheck. Jackson State students, it is up to us, to start a movement to ensure that our university is a citadel of excellence and not viewed as a center for mediocrity.

This movement must include a joint effort from administration, faculty, staff and students.

It is the administration’s responsibility to define the path for which the university is headed that will, no doubt, lead the university to national prominence. Such a job is obviously easier said than done, but this is what they are being paid to do.

Once a new philosophy is decided, that philosophy must be tattooed upon the thought processes of all the JSU shareholders; alumni, administration, faculty, staff, and students, so everyone knows what JSU is about.

JSU should continue to be about excellence.

Students come to Jackson State to be taught, so the task lies upon professors to teach. Some faculty hold preconceived notions about student capabilities at JSU. For some, after years of teaching this is understandable, but not permissible. Students should be thought of as highly capable learners and treated as such. No professor should want to be viewed as an “easy A”.

By simply demanding more from students, a new dynamic will be created at JSU. Students will no longer accept inadequate services. They will feel as if they deserve better.

Staff at the university must start treating students as adults and with respect, because JSU is a respectable school, with respectable students. Staff who behave in an unprofessional way will remind students that they go to a less than professional school, which will equate to a less serious attitude toward school work. 

It falls upon us, the students, to take responsibility for ourselves. We cannot expect excellence to simply come to us, we must pursue it. While doing so we must shun all actions and behaviors that are unbecoming of what we believe are expected from and for JSU students.  Students should also render respect.

The common thing that all parties must do to achieve excellence for JSU is to become motivated. As good as JSU is, the univeristy still has great potential, but until we transform that potential into a pride for the product we want to produce, which is excellence-minded individuals, all we will ever have is potential. Let’s do our part to make JSU into a university known not only amongst HBCU’s but a school known nationally for its doctrine of excellence.

Commentary expresses the views of the writer, not that of The Flash or Jackson State University.  If you have comments, contact Alexander Robinson at theflash@jsums.edu.