Editor,
I am a part-time UNM faculty member.
I teach PENP 134 and 135 (beginning and intermediate Kung-Fu classes) on UNM campus, and I was annoyed by the April 26 article “Want An Easy A? Take These,” by Nicole Perez.
The fact that most of the article is completely inaccurate isn’t the most disturbing part. It’s that the author, Nicole Perez, would promote getting an “easy A” by simply taking these courses, without any regard for the knowledge or benefits that the student will miss out on.
Is that what attending UNM is all about? Is GPA supposed to be what students are attending UNM for? What about their education? What about programs that offer something that will actually enhance their lives?
Shouldn’t Perez be telling the students to avoid these classes like the plague? Why is she advocating for students to be bored, uninspired, lethargic, or unhappy?
I would have been more excited to hear about classes at UNM in a much different way. As a former NMSU student, it would have been nice to know back then what courses were recommended for being unique, exciting, and/or interesting.
Therefore, I’m offering some alternative articles for Perez to write about:
”More bang for your buck!”: an article about classes that offer the most information for what you’re paying for them. These are the classes that cover as much as possible in the semester, and do it well. This is a class that offers a well-balanced overview and not necessarily the details that higher courses entail.
This is a class that might cause someone to change their major and delve into this new area instead!
“Balancing GPA and education”: an article about classes that might require minimal efforts on the student’s part, but at the same time, offers them useful information that will help them in other areas of their lives. Perhaps this is something that reduces stress or gives them much-needed exercise (yoga, martial arts, swimming, running).
This is the class where student can actually use some of the techniques they were taught. And they would be useful when finals roll around and stress levels are high.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
”Ready to have a blast?”: classes that students have actually enjoyed so much that they would recommend to anyone and everyone. Perhaps this class and subject matter was just so positive that the student left each class period feeling happier and more fulfilled than when they walked in!
“The top 10 most memorable classes for undergraduates”: self-explanatory.
“The top 10 textbooks that I would never sell back!”: These books from a UNM course contain such great information the student will keep them for their own personal library.
I believe that the University is here to educate the next generation of citizens, to provide them with knowledge and experience to better prepare them for life, and to make them valuable assets to their community.
Simply telling students to take classes for an easy A not only robs the student of a valuable education, but also discourages good work ethic, promotes laziness and makes a mockery of the University and the education that the students try to take pride in and pay a lot of money for.
Abram Tamez
UNM faculty
