School on the 28th?? I cant believe it!

[RAMAIR57]

I am extremely worried that they want to start classes on the 28th; I remember when they initailly wanted to start on monday!!! This is completely rediculous; if you saw the island, youd understand. Its DEVASTATED. I dont care if the campus is ok, THE ISLAND IS NOT!!!!! Students still have to leave campus to shop, get haircuts, leisure activities, etc. It seems that the faculty is only concerned with their business, with no regard for the students. I mean, think about it, they wanted to start classes on Monday after all of that. I am terrified that I will have to go back to this island by the 28th, which will not be any better, or have to wait until January to restart and miss all of this time. I feel that as students, we are placed in a terrible situation, and feel abandoned that the staff actually wants the students to go back to start on an obviously too soon date. They really need to find an alternate plan, or they will be greatly reducing the quality of life of every student at that campus

[heart1st]

You don't want to start on 9/28. You don't want to start in January. What other choice do you have?

I realize that, up until now, you have probably lived in a world in which some authority could "make things right." Parents, teachers, administration. Realize that this has been a hit for everyone involved, not just the students. And before you get too upset with the administration--realize that if it weren't for the administration, you'd be going to school some place else. A useful thought is "everyone is doing the best they can with the resources they have." (It may or may not be true--but since most of us don't have the time or resources to determine when it's true and when it is not--why not give everyone the benefit of the doubt? You'll be happier and so will others around you -- and you can get on with solving the problems at hand rather than trying to find the people to blame.) If you need to blame anyone, blame Mother Nature.

I certainly can understand the need and desire to blame someone--I think it has to do with the stages of grief that were so excellently laid out by the late Dr. Kubler-Ross.

I'm 54. Trust me. The few months between now and January are not very much in the long run. Perhaps you can find ways to make yourself useful in the meantime?

Best Regards,

[IndianBabu]

The few months between now and January are not very much in the long run.

Well if i'm not mistaken, it will delay the residency for the August class by one year, which is significant, at least for some.

IndianBabu

[Cuando2]

I dont care if the campus is ok, THE ISLAND IS NOT!!!!! Students still have to leave campus to shop, get haircuts, leisure activities, etc.

i hate to say it, but this sounds extremely "whiney." In my opinion, your post lost most of its credibility once i got done reading this part, and i wasn't even half-way through. Honestly, you sound really selfish here too...only concerned about how the students won't fare due to the condition of the island, but what do you think the local grenadians are going through right now as you typed that out from the warm, dry, food-stocked comfort of your home in the US?

It seems that the faculty is only concerned with their business, with no regard for the students. I mean, think about it, they wanted to start classes on Monday after all of that. I am terrified that I will have to go back to this island by the 28th, which will not be any better, or have to wait until January to restart and miss all of this time. I feel that as students, we are placed in a terrible situation, and feel abandoned that the staff actually wants the students to go back to start on an obviously too soon date. They really need to find an alternate plan, or they will be greatly reducing the quality of life of every student at that campus

from having read some of your previous posts, it sounds like you complain a lot about how things progressed. Ok, so sure, things can't ever be perfect after a cat4 hurricane blasts a third-world tiny island nation that was struggling to begin with. but sometimes, the not-so-smooth operations of things are expected, especially considering the widespread devestation that had occurred. you make a lot of complaints, but it seems as if you did nothing/plan to do nothing to rectify it...for example, it seems as if you never made much effort while down on the island to suggest the smoother progression of what you found to be "disorganized." You're terrified that the island is uninhabitable by your american standards, yet you do nothing to suggest how you can go down there to attempt to make it meet your standards. in other words, you make a lot of complaints yet take no action to rectify what is ailing you.

[FLK]

IStudents still have to leave campus to shop, get haircuts,

http://www.haircut.com/flowbee.jpg

problem solved

Seriously, count your blessings. people died in that storm.
this is a bump in the road to your career. those poor folks there had their whole world destroyed, and some lost loved ones.

[stacy_de_lin]

Here is what is listed on SGU's site. I think that though they restarted 2 weeks after coup, it was a different situation-- the basic access to amenities was still there. Anyway, seems like they outlined some options.

4:15PM EDT September, 12, 2004 Chancellor’s Message:

St. George's University completed the voluntary evacuation of students at 1:00 PM today.

Now that most of the fears of parents and loved ones have been eased, with students either home or on their way, I feel that it appropriate to address the University’s broad direction for the resumption of classes on the 28th of September.

First and foremost, I ask that the very useful and necessary SGU Storm Forum not deteriorate into a destructive argument about our students' different experiences and perceptions of the recent disaster. This continuing argument, which is becoming bitter at times, serves no useful purpose other than to show that different people can have very different experiences and perceptions of those experiences in times of catastrophic crisis. Each point of view has its own truth, which makes these arguments counterproductive. During the many years I have served as Chancellor, I have come to know all of the fine qualities that define a St. George’s University student. These qualities may be drowned out by the noise of sometimes frantic messages bickering about experiences on the ground in Grenada. Each one of you has your own unique experience, the details of which should be respected by all those who hear them; those details and conclusions about your experience should not be used to demean those of others.

Grenada’s infrastructure is severely damaged and the island is in dire need of the basic necessities, including food. The citizens of Grenada need time to rebuild their homes and businesses to a point where life can begin to resume as normal.

Obviously, our ability to repair and ready the SGU physical plant is not the only factor affecting the resumption of classes. The positive effects certainly include the contribution to the economy of Grenada that students and faculty make to the country. From the salaries of over 400 Grenadian staff and faculty members to the utilization and the economic support of the island’s infrastructure and services, the University is a major part of the island’s economy. We must recognise that in this time of need a demand for "business as usual" will cause a significant strain.

We must carefully consider these and many other factors before we finalize our plans for the resumption of classes.

Therefore, to achieve our goal of a September 28th resumption of classes, I have appointed a task force including representatives of the faculty, student government, and administration to focus on resumption of classes. This task force will be meeting within the next few days. My preliminary discussions with members of the group suggest the following possibilities for the various segments of the SGU community:

· Medical students might choose off-campus options, perhaps with terms running parallel with an on-campus program, as suggested by our Provost, Dr. Allen Pensick. This would allow students to have a choice as to where they would like to complete the current term, with options including the US and St. Vincent.

· Veterinary students might also choose off-campus options, perhaps at some of our affiliated US, Canada, UK, and Republic of Ireland schools of veterinary medicine.

· Undergraduate students including premedical and preveterinary students, the majority of whom are from Grenada and the Caribbean, might be best served on campus.

· Graduate students might elect to continue on-campus or off-campus, depending upon the individual programs and the needs.

After the 1983 intervention we at St. George's University were able to reorganize within two weeks of the evacuation from Grenada. We will meet the current challenges with similar urgency, and we appreciate the support and ideas of all those in the University community.

My prior messages also outlined for students their options for leaves of absence this term. For discussion of this academic restructuring, I would appreciate your using the Members Center SGU Talk, which is appropriately out of the public eye and which requires identification and a password, so that the discussion remains within the SGU community.

All of us in the University community owe a great deal of thanks and gratitude for the tireless efforts of the student government for its leadership in assuming the roles of various administrative personnel who were unable to leave their battered homes and report for duty on campus after the hurricane. These student leaders demonstrated competence and which speaks well of their professional future.



Excerpt from a prior posting outlining the possible options -

Therefore, I am setting a target date of Tuesday, September 28th for the resumption of classes. Students will have two options regarding their personal timetable for the continuation of their studies:

1. Commence classes on the target date. Students who change their mind after the resumption of classes may elect at that time to avail themselves of option #2.

2. Take a leave of absence and commence classes in the January 2005 term, resuming their studies at the point where they left off.

I recognize the hardships and the worry that you and your families are experiencing at this difficult time. I and all members of the faculty and administration share them with you. We shared similar worries and anxieties with those graduates of the classes who were in Grenada 21 years ago. At that time, the future had never been more uncertain for all of us. The students, faculty and administration demonstrated the resourcefulness and dedication necessary to resume classes almost immediately, seemingly against all odds. The same resourcefulness and dedication is present today in the University community, and there is no doubt that the outcome will be as successful.

Please feel free to call with your concerns to the 24 hour hotline

From the US: (800) 899-6337

From the UK: 08001-699061

Elsewhere in the world: (631) 665-8500

[stephew]

ok ive noticed, as expected, the people having the most difficult time with this whole thing are the first termers. They still hadnt adjusted to the strangeness of the differences of grenada. so right now with the devestation of the hurricaine, they dont have the perspective that many of the upper termers do about the country. I urge first termers who were understandably shaken up to seek the council of some of the upperclassman. things wont be back to normal for a while, but then i dont think first termers had a concept of baseline normalicy in grenada to begin with. repsectfully, its a good place to start. I know I would have dealt with this happening in my first term far differently than if it happened later on.
steph

[RAMAIR57]

Im hurt that I am being made out to be a selfish person in this. I did everything I could to help; I stayed up to work security, sat in for meetings, gave away much of my food and water, carried bags for every person I could, volunteered to drive buses for people leaving the island, even offered my home for 20 people every night because my apt was the only one my neighbors felt was safe. All I am trying to do is give people truths since I was there; they certainly deserve to know. Anyway, as anyone can attest who lived through this, the island is not safe to attend school in, and I dont think it will be by the 28th. If I have to go back at that date, I am pretty sure the island will not be straightened out yet, and I will fear for my safety every night I am at my apt. If this makes me selfish, I apologize. I am only trying to help people who have gone through this

[ikep]

how can you ask us to console uourselves to the 4th termers when they were the first ones to secure seats on planes because of someone they knew that put the evac lists together?
It was every man for himself at that point...
how do you think i got on the plane to Barbados with my wife. Good luck trying to evac by trusting yourself to 4th termers...

[stephew]

how can you ask us to console uourselves to the 4th termers when they were the first ones to secure seats on planes because of someone they knew that put the evac lists together?
It was every man for himself at that point...
how do you think i got on the plane to Barbados with my wife. Good luck trying to evac by trusting yourself to 4th termers...if thats the case then i would urge you to take that up with the student goventment or whichever body you think would best respond. Obviously evacuation shoudlnt be by term. though it doesnt then sound like it wasn't quite the student support claimed in other posts. Again, hard to come to a consensus.

[medic]

how can you ask us to console uourselves to the 4th termers when they were the first ones to secure seats on planes because of someone they knew that put the evac lists together?
It was every man for himself at that point...
how do you think i got on the plane to Barbados with my wife. Good luck trying to evac by trusting yourself to 4th termers...if thats the case then i would urge you to take that up with the student goventment or whichever body you think would best respond. Obviously evacuation shoudlnt be by term. though it doesnt then sound like it wasn't quite the student support claimed in other posts. Again, hard to come to a consensus.

Again, Steph, if you ask 2 people about this you will get 2 different stories. It's the half-full, half-empty story...

[stephew]

how can you ask us to console uourselves to the 4th termers when they were the first ones to secure seats on planes because of someone they knew that put the evac lists together?
It was every man for himself at that point...
how do you think i got on the plane to Barbados with my wife. Good luck trying to evac by trusting yourself to 4th termers...if thats the case then i would urge you to take that up with the student goventment or whichever body you think would best respond. Obviously evacuation shoudlnt be by term. though it doesnt then sound like it wasn't quite the student support claimed in other posts. Again, hard to come to a consensus.

Again, Steph, if you ask 2 people about this you will get 2 different stories. It's the half-full, half-empty story...
I quite aqree.

[snitzle]

I just got home last night, and I'm already fed up with everyone who wasn't there in Grenada telling those of us who were that we're being "selfish", "whiney", etc. Quit telling us your opinions of the situation and of us, because you don't know the facts!!!

As I said elsewhere, the campus does not exist in a vacuum! The country is completely destroyed, and will take years if not decades to completely recover. And no, it wasn't the 1st termers who had the hardest time - it was the people off-campus, like RAMAIR and myself, who got screwed! Most lost their homes and all of their belongings (I was one of the lucky few who didn't, thank God).

Please understand that people like RAMAIR and myself are not complaining. We're alive, and we have homes back here in the States or elsewhere that we could flee to. We are simply being realistic. What would be selfish is for all of us to just waltz back onto campus like nothing happened while thousands of homeless, hungry, and thirsty Grenadians are still roaming the countryside! Forget about us... what a slap in the face that would be to those people!!!

The bottom line is this: it ain't gonna happen this semester. At least not in Grenada.

[medic]

I just got home last night, and I'm already fed up with everyone who wasn't there in Grenada telling those of us who were that we're being "selfish", "whiney", etc. Quit telling us your opinions of the situation and of us, because you don't know the facts!!!

As I said elsewhere, the campus does not exist in a vacuum! The country is completely destroyed, and will take years if not decades to completely recover. And no, it wasn't the 1st termers who had the hardest time - it was the people off-campus, like RAMAIR and myself, who got screwed! Most lost their homes and all of their belongings (I was one of the lucky few who didn't, thank God).

Please understand that people like RAMAIR and myself are not complaining. We're alive, and we have homes back here in the States or elsewhere that we could flee to. We are simply being realistic. What would be selfish is for all of us to just waltz back onto campus like nothing happened while thousands of homeless, hungry, and thirsty Grenadians are still roaming the countryside! Forget about us... what a slap in the face that would be to those people!!!

The bottom line is this: it ain't gonna happen this semester. At least not in Grenada.

Are you complaining again?

[FLK]

the campus does not exist in a vacuum!

well if this is the case, perhaps I was overlly optomistic with the photo of the flowbee. You may need to fly to Miami for your haircut

[snitzle]

... Everyone's a comedian!

[Scott1981]

st mathews just moved to portland, maine for the remainder of the semester. they resume classes sept 21. i dont know why st georges is so adament about staying on the island during the repairs. the students are losing valuable time for school. i still dont see them opening the 28th with all the island damage.

[medic]

What he heck is St. matthews? A med school? they have, what, 17 students? SGUSOM has a $30+ million dollar campus, hundreds of students to accommodate. Anyway, judging form your signature, you have issues with reality...

[monstergirl]

Some students freaked out, others got intimidating/aggressive, some were were ok. Even the most stable minded people I came across were worn down by the chaos, anxiety and uncertainty on campus. When a crisis occurs, you see the best and worst of people. For many students- it was every man for himself. Thats the plain truth. For others, the event brought people closer together. Students looted one of the campus shops. No one was immune.

I think for others who were not there it may be easy to say how we should have responded, or the 1st termer vs 4th termer response. I was working security shifts with other students around superdorm 3 and came across several male students who just walked around campus ignoring curfew. They ignored security as if they were not speaking, and physically pushed people aside, simply because they wanted to do what they wanted to do. They were 4th termers. I do not believe every on from that class is like that. All sorts of beyhavior wes exhibited. Students feeding the security guards who were unrelived from their 3 day stright shifts showed the flip side.

I am a first termer, who has travelled quite a bit around the world, and am not someone who gets upset when I get sticky and dirty. But from life experience and my clinical training (in psychology) I understand that when there are desperate times human beings take despreate action. I also understand the effects of mob mentality. From my perspective, any fear I experienced had nothing to do with Grenadian people, but from the knowledge of how human beings act in stressful circumstances. On campus were were the haves, we were damed lucky we had shelter, and many of thoes wholived on campus were ok. Its the people off campus who experienced it fully, and often were lucky to have been alive.

SGU Admin was not prepared, but neither was Grenada. The Admin did their best, considering many of them lost their homes too. I am not so sure I would have been able to do what they did for us.

As far as I can see it, we have 2 options: start on the 28th (to be determined). The best we can do as current students is to figure out what we would like to do if any of thoes options present themselves to us.

I think the most consistent concern I have heard from students is getting the school up and running on an adequate level so that they can focus on their studies. How would that be possible when the country is decimated. I think time will tell, and the decision to return (if its on campus) is an individual one.

[dallasdoll]

actually, St. Matthews had 150 first termers...and over 400 relocating from cayman to Maine.

you dont seem to have a grasp on reality either....

[rokshana]

I agree with alot of the things that monstergirl and medic had to say- the best in people was brought out and the the worst in people can out too. I am lucky to be able to say that the character of my friends was true to form- they did their best to help in all sorts of ways from cleaning campus, doing security, serving food in Glovers, giving selflessly of whatever they had from the roof over their heads to the active phone line that they remarkably still had. Many of them are still down there helping with the rebuilding.
It is in our best interest to try to get campus running and in the best interest of the Grenadians as well. SGU employs over 400 locals and over 2000 students (remember there are vet, undergrad, grads, and MPH students as well) help support the economy in grenada- these people are giving us (for some a last) chance to realize a lifelong dream and we cetainly should not abandon them. I agree that I having classes up and running as soon as possible is the best thing, but it needs to be done in a way that will keep the reputation of SGU stong (SMU is up and coming SGU has a solid 30+ years reputation - plus SMU seems to like moving). Maybe having parallel classes in the States is the thing to do for the term, but everything must be done to maintain the school that we have.
And BTW, you haven't been down there dallasdoll and don't know what our experience was like so don't tell medicthat hedoesn't have a grip on reality-her grip is pretty good-- you haven't walked in our shoes.

[snitzle]

actually they had 150 first termers...and over 400 relocating from cayman.

you dont seem to have a grasp on reality either....

My thoughts exactly dallasdoll. "Medic", you have absolutely nothing to add here; all you're doing is taking sissy jabs at people who are on this forum to vent their concerns, frustrations, and worries. I hope I speak for everyone when I say please go away.

[rokshana]

Snitzle, is this the 1st time you haven't agreed with me? :D

[snitzle]

And BTW, you haven't been down there dallasdoll and don't know what our experience was like so don't tell medicthat hedoesn't have a grip on reality-her grip is pretty good-- you haven't walked in our shoes.

Rokshana, there's no need for medic or anyone else to go around putting down other Carribean schools who've been afflicted. Medic's had nothing of value to say, and he/she's just trying to start trouble.

[snitzle]

Snitzle, is this the 1st time you haven't agreed with me? :D

Heh, heh... I think you may have just misunderstood dallasdoll's post. :wink:

But you're right, so far I've agreed with everything you've had to say Rokshana.

[Scott1981]

What he heck is St. matthews? A med school? they have, what, 17 students? SGUSOM has a $30+ million dollar campus, hundreds of students to accommodate. Anyway, judging form your signature, you have issues with reality...

wow... real intelligent huh? when you want to stop acting like an immature child.... then we can talk. secondly, although i dont attend st matthews (im AUC), they are a pretty large school based in grand cayman. however.... you seem to live in a box and are out of touch with the rest of the world considering your crewd comment with your lack of intelligence on the subject. is your head so big that you feel your baseless attacks and assumptions are warrented?

PS-- and excuse me, i dont appreciate your abusive comments. then again, a child would not understand this. GROW UP!!!!!!

[Scott1981]

And BTW, you haven't been down there dallasdoll and don't know what our experience was like so don't tell medicthat hedoesn't have a grip on reality-her grip is pretty good-- you haven't walked in our shoes.

if you read his baseless attack, then you would understand what she meant. nobody was trying to be mean. i personally wanted to keep you up to date with the happenings of all carib schools. heck we are all in the same boat for med education. all i got in return was a bitter sarcastic remark.... and for what? i still cant see how my post was offensive.

PS- regardless of everything.... SGU will live on. hurricanes happen. heck.... next week it could happen to AUC. all the med schools at LSU and tulane are looking to be dissrupted quite soon by ivan. its scary because all of new orleans is bellow sea level.

anyway.... good luck to all..... whats to be will be

[Scott1981]

actually they had 150 first termers...and over 400 relocating from cayman.

you dont seem to have a grasp on reality either....

My thoughts exactly dallasdoll. "Medic", you have absolutely nothing to add here; all you're doing is taking sissy jabs at people who are on this forum to vent their concerns, frustrations, and worries. I hope I speak for everyone when I say please go away.

i think that medic confused the word "fellow" with "patient"
the words of medic are that of a child

[rokshana]

ya'll did get some of it didn't you- didn't frances give you a little smack? And there's something else brewing over the Antilles? How does AUC fare (been there liked, your dorms so much better than our Superdorms).

[stephew]

how dismayed was i to sign in and check this thread. Im locking this and considering formal warnings. Personal insults WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN THIS FORUM