Western Oregon Journal

Dear Editor,

It is wonderful to see an article in your paper raise such good questions and initiate many interesting conversations. I am the non-traditional student peer advisor, and since your article on discrimination came out on Oct. 17 ["Rumors fly around campus about age discrimination," Journal, Oct. 17, 2005], I have had numerous, sometimes passionate, conversations with people, each with their own unique perspective.

My initial response to the article was that I have never experienced age discrimination here at Western. I have had a good rapport with all of my professors and feel like I have been treated well by other staff around the campus. I enjoy my conversations and group work with traditional students. To some extent I feel as though I have an advantage with professors and staff because in most respects they are my peers and people I would enjoy hanging out with. I also feel like I am treated as a valued member of WOUPSA and Abby's House.

However, as my mind continued to work on this issue, I remembered my first day here. I remember a sea of young faces; I felt like I didn't belong. I have also been ignored by traditional students-they seem to look right through me as if I didn't exist. It appears that more of the activities on campus seem to be geared toward the interests of a traditional student. Even this paper, I don't remember seeing an older face in the "Deep Thought" section.

While activities at Western are open to all students, there are activities that are geared toward the non-trad, with the idea that they may have different interests, time constraints and life experiences than the majority of the students. There are quarterly newsletters, quarterly socials and the non-trad lounge. If you are a non-traditional student and would like more information, my office is located behind the information desk in the Werner Center or you can send me an email at nontrad@wou.edu.

Discrimination happens. It is a part of any society. There are approximately 5,000 students here, and about 900 of them are non-traditional (over 25 years old). I think that it is only natural for there to be an inclination to tailor programs, syllabi, activities and the school paper, with a propensity toward the traditional student.

However, just because discrimination is inevitable doesn't mean that it is acceptable. I believe that every effort should be made to allow for non-traditional students to have the same educational experiences and opportunities as the traditional student; we pay the same tuition, after all. As with all areas of discrimination, opening up a dialog is a great first step.

-Lu An Carone

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