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I would like to express my disappointment with Tim Foster and the Mesa State Board of Trustees for deciding to hold classes on Labor Day. This is a state and federal holiday.
I have talked to the governor’s advocate on higher education and she said this is unprecedented and though Mesa State is the only school she has ever heard of doing this, it is in within their charter to do so.
My questions is why? Is it going to generate more revenue for them? Will students learn more on a holiday? Is this punishment for staff or students, perhaps? I think this very unfair to the staff and to the students. If one day is going to effect their curriculum that much, they already have some bigger problems, in my opinion.
I have always supported Mesa State but it seems they are out of touch with my way of thinking now.
JIM FOSTER
Grand Junction
55 Responses to “Mesa State should not hold classes on Labor Day”
Posted August 29th, 2008 at 12:00 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
Jim Foster - The reason Mesa State is holding classes on Labor Day is pure right-wing, anti-labor politics. President Tim Foster and most of the Board of Trustees are ardent anti-labor zealots. This is their way of snubbing their noses at working people.
Posted August 29th, 2008 at 12:05 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
That was my thought exactly, GJ Bubba. Anti-union!
Posted August 29th, 2008 at 12:07 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
GJB, Colorado College always has the first day of class on Labor Day, and they’re pretty crunchy, if you know what I mean. Granola eatin’, Birkenstock wearin’, drum beatin’ hippies the lot of ‘em.
Posted August 29th, 2008 at 12:18 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
toaaronuu - I didn’t know that. Thanks for the information. My respect for that fine private school refuge for east coast prep-schoolers who couldn’t get into the Ivy League just went down a notch or two!
Posted August 29th, 2008 at 12:35 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
Yeah, I worked and lived around the college, in a business that allowed me to meet and hang out with a lot of those kids. I went to a few CC parties, trying to hook up some co-ed nookie, and you wouldn’t believe the high dollar drugs. Cocaine was everywhere, along with the super-grade weed, and huge bags full of pills. Big money stuff. When I went to CSU, we were happy to buy a jug of wine every now and then.
Posted August 29th, 2008 at 12:40 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
GJ, you are very quick with your insults. Oftentimes you also have no idea what you are talking about. Both of my kids went to CSU, but CC happens to be a very good school. AND, 76% of this year’s entering class is NOT from the East coast. I have no reason to defend CC, but I get a little tired of your abuse.
Posted August 29th, 2008 at 12:51 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
CC does have a great hockey program.
Posted August 29th, 2008 at 2:04 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
bullishfrog - I NEVER said that Colorado College wasn’t a good school. Quite the contrary; for pure liberal arts, it’s by far the best school in Colorado.
However, for those of us who were hanging around eastern prep schools in the late 50’s and early 60’s, CC was always a place one could go if you couldn’t get into Harvard, Yale, Princeton or Brown - especially if you were a hockey player.
How do you think college hockey came to Colorado? It was Canadians going to the University of Denver, and “preppies” going to Colorado College!
Posted August 29th, 2008 at 6:09 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
Bck on topic: What would our collective positions be if Mesa State College decided to hold classes on Christmas day?
What about a Jewish institution such as Yeshiva University?
Posted August 29th, 2008 at 6:39 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
Yeshiva University holds classes on Christmas day.
Posted August 29th, 2008 at 6:52 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
GJ, if you take a look at the hockey roster for CC you will find that only 2 of the 27 players are from the East Coast.
I went to college on the East coast. There are schools out there, just below the Ivy League level,that would not require preppies to come to Colorado for lack of choices, if they wanted to play hockey. They include Colgate, Union College, Hamilton, and Rensselear (my alma matter).
My objection to your post is that you made it sound like CC was a school for rejects. If that was not what you meant, I withdraw my objection.
Posted August 29th, 2008 at 6:59 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
I suspected they did. What about Brandeis university?
This suggests therefore that they simply follow their principles and convictions about that particular day which is a holiday for most of us. Is it not therefore appropriate to suggest that Mesa State College (or at least Tim Foster) follows his convictions about Labor day?
Posted August 29th, 2008 at 7:06 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
Class, I suspect Brandeis is closed for Christmas, as they should be. Brandeis has a very high Jewish population, but it is not a Jewish school.
Posted August 29th, 2008 at 8:58 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
bullishfrog - Forty plus years ago, CC was to Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Brown what Mesa State is today to CU, CSU and Mines. Take that for whatever it’s worth.
Posted August 29th, 2008 at 10:32 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
BFrog: “… Rensselear (my alma matter).
Are we speaking of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or some other place?
I would think that a graduate of RPI would at a minimum know how to spell the name of the institution- or perhaps that was a typo?
Posted August 30th, 2008 at 6:47 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Yes Class, it was a typo.
Posted August 30th, 2008 at 7:19 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
C52 “This suggests therefore that they simply follow their principles and convictions about that particular day which is a holiday for most of us. Is it not therefore appropriate to suggest that Mesa State College (or at least Tim Foster) follows his convictions about Labor day?”
I think that may be true, but I think it is also more of a reflection of the values of a community. Boulder has to recognize Labor Day, Marxist theory recognizes the proletariat. GJ and Western Colorado tend not to be union supporters.
I remember when a union endorsement was key to winning an election. Corruption, greed, automation, and a global economy have taken the wind out of their sales. Bill Clinton hit them hard when NAFTA went into effect. I have not heard anyone suggesting a reversal.
We should change Labor Day to End-of-Summer Day or Long-Time-Since-July-4th Day. I can think of plenty of times that non-vets have thanked vets on Veterans Day. When was the last time a non-union person thanked a union member for being in the union?
Posted August 30th, 2008 at 8:53 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Sullivan: “When was the last time a non-union person thanked a union member for being in the union?”
Not for being in the Union, but for what the unions have done for the American worker.
Whatever the faults of current unions, there is no question but that the union movement in the past changed abysmal working conditions and predatory job practices for millions of American workers. Labor Day rightfully recognizes those past accomplishments.
With respect to the “values of this community”, that line does not cut much ice with me. At the last election, GJ and Mesa County were out of step with the rest of the voters in Colorado, out of touch with the values of the majority of voters in the rest of America and largely ignorant of the sentiments of the rest of the world. I fully expect that to be the case in the coming election.
Posted August 30th, 2008 at 9:34 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
C52 “Whatever the faults of current unions, there is no question but that the union movement in the past changed abysmal working conditions and predatory job practices for millions of American workers.” No argument there. It is the “faults of current unions” that I find troubling.
C52 “With respect to the “values of this community”, that line does not cut much ice with me.” So you think the majority, in this case “the rest of America” should be able to impose its position, in this case “GJ and Mesa County”?
Posted August 30th, 2008 at 11:06 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
Sullivan: “So you think the majority, in this case “the rest of America” should be able to impose its position, in this case “GJ and Mesa County”?”
Of course not. I don’t believe I said anything like that. The community is changing rapidly in any case as people with a different set of values are moving in. Diversity is healthy. Otherwise you get a single set of inbred ideas and not much knowledge or concern about the rest of the world.
Posted August 31st, 2008 at 10:06 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Classof52 stated: “Of course not. I don’t believe I said anything like that. The community is changing rapidly in any case as people with a different set of values are moving in. Diversity is healthy. Otherwise you get a single set of inbred ideas and not much knowledge or concern about the rest of the world.”
And that is the very definition of parochialism. What we note here in the Grand Valley, when they speak of ‘conservatism’, is really a reaction to any type of change, or even the consideration of doing so. An acquaintance who has been living here for decades once state that in some quarters, and intellectually, the Grand Valley is at times referred to as “Western Appalachia”. That is a very harsh characterization but, looking at some of the positions taken on some issues by some posters, it is not much of a stretch to subscribe to that view.
Do the long-time residents believe they are “right”? Many of them not only that they are “right” but “absolutely right”, and that their belief, those that they have been brought up with all of their lives, should never be questioned. What they forget is that it is not what one doubts that should be questioned, but what one does not doubt. With the rise toward absolutism in any subject, the body of doubt relating to it must also rise to meet it.
Posted August 31st, 2008 at 10:51 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Zero percent of the votes candidate little bobbie from Delta speaks of many things, but never what a loser he has proven himself to be.
Posted August 31st, 2008 at 11:17 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Mr. Johnson returns! Therefore we can also regress to an ‘unthinking’ state, one exhibited by none other than Mr. Johnson, who is a perfect example of someone who has never even considered doing anything but for himself and in possession of the mind and set of values characteristic of a juvenile, not a mature adult.
Perhaps that is what is meant when some speak of the Western Slope as being intellectually a Western Appalachia. Nothing new will enter his mind, that is quite obvious. One has to wonder if the gentleman has ever had a thought of his own, or if he sees his function in life merely as regurgitating those of others over and over again, in the mistaken belief that doing so will make others believe that what he says has value.
Given what one has been able to glean from his posts so far, one could conclude that Mr. Johnson has been “hiding” and avoiding responsibility all of his life. It is sad to see such a wasted mind and therefore a truly meaningless existence.
Posted August 31st, 2008 at 11:27 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Willis - You said of RLaitres, “but never what a loser he has proven himself to be.”
Willis, people who live in a glass pre-HUD trailer like yourself really shouldn’t be throwing stones.
And besides, since I know Mr. Laitres personally, I can tell from first hand observation that he’s healthy and ambulatory, most probably because he’s “right” with the baby Jesus - something I strongly suspect you’re not, Willis.
Posted August 31st, 2008 at 11:32 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Willis - You said of RLaitres, “but never what a loser he has proven himself to be.”
Willis, people who live in a glass trailer such as yourself really shouldn’t be referring to other, more accomplished people as “losers.”
And besides, I happen to know from first hand observation that Mr. Laitres is healthy and ambulatory because it’s obvious he’s “right” with the baby Jesus - are you “right” with the baby Jesus, Willis?
Posted August 31st, 2008 at 12:33 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
Willis - You said of RLaitres, “Zero percent of the votes candidate little bobbie from Delta speaks of many things, but never what a loser he has proven himself to be.”
At least Mr. Laitres was committed enough to run for public office!
What public office (or any office) have you run for, Willis? I suspect is zero, nada, zippo!
Posted August 31st, 2008 at 7:42 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
C52, I am confused by what you are saying. The impression that I had was that you felt Labor Day should be recognized by Mesa College even though it that is not in line with community values. “With respect to the “values of this community”, that line does not cut much ice with me.”
So do you think that Mesa College should be forced to recognize Labor Day or do you think that they should be able to reflect the values of the community?
Posted August 31st, 2008 at 9:14 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
Sullivan: “So do you think that Mesa College should be forced to recognize Labor Day or do you think that they should be able to reflect the values of the community?”
That is a “have you stopped beating your wife” question.
This community is not monolithic in its outlook. We have a variety of values among the citizens who live here. I do not recall hearing the reasons why Dr. Foster decided to hold classes on Labor day (which is after all a national holiday), but I doubt that it was to express his solidarity with community values. He may have good reasons for his stance but I think it was ill advised. Why not hold classes on Christmas Day, Veterans day or Martin Luther King Day? In any case it is a minor issue as far as I am concerned and I am not sure why you keep flogging this dead horse.
Posted August 31st, 2008 at 9:16 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
From Sullivan: “So do you think that Mesa College should be forced to recognize Labor Day or do you think that they should be able to reflect the values of the community?”
That is a “have you stopped beating your wife” question.
This community is not monolithic in its outlook. We have a variety of values among the citizens who live here. I do not recall hearing the reasons why Dr. Foster decided to hold classes on Labor day (which is after all a national holiday), but I doubt that it was to express his solidarity with community values. He may have good reasons for his stance but I think it was ill advised. Why not hold classes on Christmas Day, Veterans day or Martin Luther King Day? In any case it is a minor issue as far as I am concerned and I am not sure why you keep flogging this dead horse.
Posted September 1st, 2008 at 8:03 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Mr. Laitres-
Yes, I have to apologize. Mr. Johnson is indeed back at the keyboard. We can only keep him in solitary confinement for so long before the ACLU starts to make grumbling noises. Rest assured, our staff will continue with the care and feeding of Mr. Johnson, and never tire in our efforts to make him keep his pants on.
As you might expect, we don’t get Labor Day off….we have a responsibility to the public, after all.
Dr. Sigmund Fraud
Posted September 1st, 2008 at 9:25 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
From Sullivan: “So do you think that Mesa College should be forced to recognize Labor Day or do you think that they should be able to reflect the values of the community?”
That is a “have you stopped beating your wife” question.
This community is not monolithic in its outlook. We have a variety of values among the citizens who live here. There is a full page in the sentinel this morning honoring Labor Day Dr. Foster decided to hold classes on Labor day (which is after all a national holiday)because of scheduling problems outlined in the Sentinel this morning, not because he wanted to express his solidarity with community values. He may have good reasons for his stance but I think it was ill advised. Why not hold classes on Christmas Day, Veterans day or Martin Luther King Day? In any case it is a minor issue as far as I am concerned and I am not sure why you keep flogging this dead horse.
Posted September 1st, 2008 at 11:36 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Everyone - To get the REAL story of why Mesa State students and faculty are in class today, you might want to pop over to a new forum just started by “lizard.” The Sentinel story is a smokescreen.
Posted September 1st, 2008 at 4:11 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
C52 “In any case it is a minor issue as far as I am concerned and I am not sure why you keep flogging this dead horse.” And that is why you have been able to restrain yourself from the keyboard.
Posted September 1st, 2008 at 5:09 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
Sullivan: “And that is why you have been able to restrain yourself from the keyboard.”
Because you keep asking questions or making pointless comments. Let’s go back to the browsers and grazers. You made more sense there even though you were wrong.
Posted September 1st, 2008 at 6:08 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
You never responded on that one.
Posted September 1st, 2008 at 6:12 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
You dropped out of that topic when the science got to deep for you.
Posted September 1st, 2008 at 6:51 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
Interesting, proven wrong repeatedly on the subject and still considers the remarks of his opponent as “pointless”, which indicates that the point was too far over his head to make contact with his lone barely functional brain cell.
Posted September 1st, 2008 at 7:52 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
Sullivan: “You dropped out of that topic when the science got to(sic) deep for you.”
No I completely refuted the point you were trying to make with good science. I pointed out that you did not restrict your initial claim to any specific ecological area and there are plenty of references showing that at least in some areas browsers and grazers compete for the same food. I do not recall that you answered this point.
Posted September 1st, 2008 at 9:47 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
The foregoing opinions are based on failed political philosophies and equally failed dreams of grandeur of the loser that posted it.
This person usually has little of importance to add to any conversation, but rather feeds on discontent and animosity.
Posted September 2nd, 2008 at 12:28 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Did Tim Foster suddenly declare there would be classes on Labor Day when there weren’t before his appointment? If this is the case I would go straight to him and ask why.
This is the first year this practice has come to my attention and it is a bit of a shocker but I see no need to speculate about dark political motives before I have more info.
Posted September 2nd, 2008 at 6:17 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Ash - Word from sources inside the administration indicate MSC had classes on Labor Day because of a mistake someone made counting the minimum class days required for accreditation. When MLK Day was added to the holiday schedule, someone forgot to compensate and little Timmy Foster got in trouble with the state. He panicked and chose holding classes on Labor Day to cover his embarrassment.
Posted September 2nd, 2008 at 7:13 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Well, that is one persons opinion.
And is normal for this poster, probably wrong.
Posted September 2nd, 2008 at 7:15 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Sounds like a day all profs and students should call in sick.
Posted September 2nd, 2008 at 7:46 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Actually, the school did remove a day off (from the two-day Winter Break, which hapens in February) to compensate for starting spring semester after MLK day. And it wasn’t just Tim Foster who made the decision; as yesterday’s article made clear, the college has a Calendar Committee that makes decisions. The school also informed students, faculty, and staff well in advance (i.e. over the summer) of the change in schedule. It’s not idiocracy and it’s not a conspiracy. And folks at the college do pretty well. There’s a two-day break in October, whereas many schools (esp. those in the east) just get a Monday off for Columbus day. At Thanksgiving, students and faculty have Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday off, whereas many other schools just close for Thursday and Friday. Then there’s winter break, which this year goes from December 12 through January 19. Again, that’s at least a ful week longer than many other college’s and universities. If you consider the loss of the labor day holiday in this larger context, it’s really not so bad (and no, I’m don’t work for Mesa’s administration).
Posted September 2nd, 2008 at 7:51 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
They get a month off for Christmas Break?
By any other name, it is still CHRISTMAS BREAK in celebration of the Birth of Christ.
How many of the atheists refuse holiday pay for Christmas? Or Easter?
Posted September 2nd, 2008 at 7:56 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Willis - Isn’t it about time for the Benny Hinn program on TBS? He won’t heal you of your infirmities, but his act is fun to watch.
Posted September 2nd, 2008 at 7:57 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
bloch
Thanks, that was very infomative.
Posted September 2nd, 2008 at 8:50 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
gjblubberbutt,
What infirmities?
And who is Benny Hinn?
Posted September 2nd, 2008 at 8:51 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Dearest Willis–
Dad was not your real father.
Love, Mom.
Posted September 2nd, 2008 at 8:57 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Oh goody, the appearance of yet another troll.
Posted September 2nd, 2008 at 9:10 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Dude, that is NO way to talk about your Mother.
Posted September 2nd, 2008 at 11:19 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
It’s all right, those of us who know him intimately are quite aware of his problems with women. I blame myself, really, as I dropped him on his head when he was a baby.
I should have thrown him. With great force.
Posted September 2nd, 2008 at 11:43 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Mrs_J,
I am so glad you are here. Is true that even as a child, Willis had no manners except when he was asleep ?
Posted September 2nd, 2008 at 12:12 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
Actually he has lots of manners: all bad.
Posted September 5th, 2008 at 10:24 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
C52 “No I completely refuted the point you were trying to make with good science. I pointed out that you did not restrict your initial claim to any specific ecological area and there are plenty of references showing that at least in some areas browsers and grazers compete for the same food. I do not recall that you answered this point.”
http://community.gjsentinel.com/2008/08/19/colorado-needs-to-act-to-protect-roadless-areas/#comment-12169
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