Today’s generation has the power of technology all around them to utilize. A firm understanding of knowing how to and when to use it can help us push for effective changes, or improve creative and supportive work. In business, the push for change can often encounter numerous roadblocks. Without a doubt, one of the most commonly encountered roadblocks is office politics. Knowing how to effectively shift gears and beat the politics is important too. Of course, there are many ways one can deal with this issue, but one that often gets overlooked is open letters.
Recently, I took this approach at my school to have broken projectors replaced. My open letter was sent to most of the heads of the school and some professors. The release timing was very strategic, as the letter was sent on a Monday morning at 11 a.m. before a faculty meeting. Surprisingly, I got a response by 11:30 a.m. by one of the heads at the college. His response was very clear, “…I assure you that we will rectify the problems you identified immediately.” Despite this, I took his statement with a grain of salt. However, upon taking up a meeting, I was given a schedule as to when this issue would be fixed. Consequently, the projectors were then fixed that same Friday!
Below you’ll find my open letter:
To Whom It May Concern:
I always say to my fellow college mates, “college is a business, you treat it like one.”
The business of College provides a product called an education. That education is backed up by what society calls a degree, but what I like to call a “token” because it allows one to enter different places and different levels. However, all tokens aren’t made equally and they are backed by the reputable fame of the institution in which they were forged.
With that, I’d like to bring to you a small issue that has been lingering.
It’s disheartening that I see the president leave in the back of a Buick, and yet, I have to sit in a classroom and strain my eyes to see what I’m looking at from projectors that display yellow distorted colors. I’ve complained about this issue numerous times, yet most of what I’ll hear is what my science degree will say: “B.S.” This has been an issue since the spring of 2015. I know this for a fact since I’ve taken classes in that particular room, L07, and continue to take classes in these rooms – AB1: L07, L04, L05 etc. Every now and then, a professor would interject a statement such as “oh, that should be red, by the way guys."
Without a doubt, if Medgar can’t fix something as simple as a projector, Lord knows. In addition, it also shows very clear that the school of Medgar Evers is filled with bureaucracy – but that’s not my business.
As a senior, I’m on my way out, but I’m just very afraid for the future, the freshman that perhaps won’t open his or her mouth to voice any issues at Medgar. Quite frankly, I know exactly what they’ll do… TRANSFER. I know this because I’ve thought about it numerous times throughout the years. It’s that personal relationship with professors that have kept me. The professors that let you into their office even when they’re in the busiest moments of the day. I’ve seen many good students think of leaving and I’ve seen many leave the institute as many of the higher ups stay blinded. But I have hope…
There are many other concerning issues such as why students are allowed to enter departments unbothered to sit and study, yet the nursing department is segregated. Why does one have to sit in broken chairs/desk such as those in the portables? Why is the library one of the noisiest places on campus? Since the nursing department is allowed to segregate, why isn’t there a room just for science seniors during club hours to sit and study, or write their long final thesis paper?
For the people that sit behind their big fancy tables and desks – yes, you – making decisions every day, to you, I say walk around campus every now and then, leave the office and get some fresh air.
“To be realistic today is to be visionary. To be realistic is to be starry-eyed.” - Hubert H. Humphrey
"To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often." – Winston Churchill
