Don Campbell describes exhortations last spring to incoming Fall freshmen by Don Joyner, East Carolina University's associate vice chancellor for admissions and advising, as he paced from one end of the stage to the other, microphone in hand, doing a dead-on imitation of a fire-and-brimstone television minister exhorting the faithful in a high-pitched twang.

"Let me tell you what's going to happen to some of you," Joyner shouts. "You're going to break up with your boyfriend or your girlfriend, and all of a sudden, you think your life is over! Well let me tell you something else: You've got to get over your depression! You can't use that as an excuse... because this place can be unforgiving!"

He tells them how to succeed in college — get involved in campus activities, use the library, learn some basic study skills, have realistic expectations, beginning with commandment number one: "Go to class."

Hmmm. Why would a university admit and retain students who don't go to classes?


Tablet PC Education Blog