Awareness Letter

Dear Mr. Stovall,

As a freshman at Howard University, I have witnessed first-hand the many issues that occur within my class. Your first year in college is not only a new learning experience but also a time in one’s life where the common household restrictions such as curfew, limited privacy, and homework responsibilities no longer become an issue. Though many freshmen find it easy to adjust and balance out their new freedoms with personal restrictions, wide majorities of freshman take their newfound independence to their full advantage.

Since the beginning of school, I have noticed that many students within my class have progressively started to go to class less and less with each oncoming week. Many of my classes, which originally started out with 30 or more students, have dwindled down to 15 or less students. Whether it is because of the dropping of classes or just common carelessness, freshman students at Howard University are taking longer than most to properly adjust to the freedoms of college and are failing to perform academically.

In high school, it was a firm requirement that each and every student attend all classes and if failed to show up, detentions were given vigorously. In college, however, punishment for not attending classes is not nearly as direct as that of high school. Though most classes produce a reduction of grades if the attendance requirement is not met, such punishment is so long-term that most students wont understand its effectiveness till the end of the semester by which any possibility for change no longer becomes reasonable. Without a firm and direct form of punishment for not attending classes, I believe this problem will only increase through time.

According to my roommate, when asked why appearance in classes is not met to standard by most students at Howard, she stated that, “If you could choose between sleep and class or food and class you would choosing sleep and food. As long as people get their work in, attendance isn’t really needed.” As long as the minimal requirement for a passing grade in classes is accomplished, most students find no real reason to put in that extra effort for A’s or B’s. With mentalities as such, it becomes obvious to the reason as to why most freshmen don’t make it to their sophomore years. The carelessness and freedom of college freshman is a disease that has spread through colleges throughout the country. Unless a firm punishment or reality check is presented to these students, more and more students are going to find themselves back at home after their freshman years.

Thank you for your consideration of this issue. I hope to be hearing from you soon with your thoughts and concerns of my issue presented.

Sincerely,

Simone Carter