Photos by Sasha Perez / The Louisville Cardinal

By Simon Isham –
Not one year into his stay in the United States as an exchange student, Altin Ukshini has already made great strides towards bringing open-source software, programs for which the source code is freely available, into the hands of everyday American consumers. 2013 is the inaugural year for the Midwest Open Source Software Conference, an event which Ukshini spearheaded, bringing together 20 speakers on a range of topics, with sponsorship from nine organizations and representation from the world’s largest open-source web community, Mozilla. The kicker: Ukshini is still in high school.

MOSSCon will take place at U of L on May 18 and 19 in the Swain Student Activities Center from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Early registration is $35, and regular registration is $50; students can register online for a $20 admission fee, presenting their student ID at the door. The conference welcomes beginners, but all of the scheduled speakers will present “Intermediate to Advanced” topics. The lectures follow two tracks, and online registration at MOSSCon.org allows attendees to create their own preferred schedule.

“It required a lot of work, effort and determination,” he said. “MOSSCon is a challenge that was worth starting and and it is something that I will always be proud of. I am happy to have initiated and [led] this conference with this team because I know that after I leave this country … I will remember that I left something good behind.”

Ukshini came to Louisville in August of 2012, fresh off the plane from Kosovo — a newly independent country in the Balkans the size of Connecticut — eager to find his niche. With interests in computer programming, he found where he belonged at LVL1 Hackerspace on Broadway. There he met John Hicks, the director of the Kentucky Open Source Society, from whom he learned that Kentucky lags behind other states in terms of open-source conversation and development.

It was this lack of discussion and a need for it that led Ukshini to consider planning Kentucky’s first open-source conference, MOSSCon. The idea was to show people who are interested in technology that open-source software can fit into both work and entertainment just as proprietary software does through an exchange of information and ideas.

“MOSSCon is a community-driven conference,” he said. “‘By the people, for the people,’ as we  like to say it, so it is open to everyone with interest in open-source software.”

The open-source community of Louisville proved to yield several of the members of the MOSSCon planning committee, who decided the name and date of the conference. They also elected Ukshini president. After all, MOSSCon isn’t Ukshini’s first open-source rodeo; in 2012, he helped to organize the Software Freedom Kosova conference in Pristina.

One of the conference’s co-organizers, Chris Rockwell, the assistant show manager for the Mid-America Trucking Show, works with open-source softwares on a daily basis when maintaining the show’s website, among them Apache HTTP Server, MYSQL, PHP and Drupal, but claims that he is not at all an expert.

Rockwell confirmed the power of the people in open-source development, saying: “The driving force behind the software is this vast community, which inherently ensures that the technology will always be changing, advancing and adapting. It’s a never ending learning process!”

With all the board’s goals in mind, the next step of the planning process was to decide on a location for the conference. U of L was a natural choice, as it offered a “cost-effective, centralized location well-suited to hosting a conference,” but it was ultimately the influence of Dr. Adel Elmaghraby, a Speed School professor and Ukshini’s scholarship adviser, that secured the venue.

Elmaghraby told the Cardinal that, after hearing Ukshini’s presentation about MOSSCon and in conjunction with some of the other faculty at Speed School, he had attempted to partner with MOSSCon as much as possible, stating that “It will bring the whole community more awareness [of] Open Source initiatives and their impact in the community beyond the classroom.”

That open-source can be developed anywhere in the world, unconstrained by geographical boundaries, lends much credence to the idea that the communities who produce it can spring up anywhere, but also guarantees projects a certain portability.

As for Ukshini, he will return to Kosovo after the conclusion of MOSSCon to complete a mandatory 13th grade before graduation from high school. He said he hopes to return to the United States to pursue a collegiate education, but that he will use the skills he learned here in organizing MOSSCon to help his home country grow and thrive.

“I loved working with people here, and the most important part of it is that I have made lots of contacts and life-long friends! This was definitely a blast, a great motivation and an unforgettable experience for me. Can’t say I didn’t get the best out of it — I want to stay as much as I want to go home!” he said.

MOSSCon won’t be leaving with him, however. The dedicated team of individuals that Ukshini helped to assemble while here will continue to put on the conference even after he departs.

“Our team is building a strong foundation,” Rockwell said, “that, we believe, the entire open-source community will be able to build upon, making MOSSCon a must-attend event in our region for many years to come.”

Photos by Simon Isham / The Louisville Cardinal

Photos by Sasha Perez / The Louisville Cardinal

Welcome, new and returning Cardinals!

My name is Carrie Mattingly, and I am pleased to be serving you as SGA President for the 2013-2014 academic year. My job is to lobby for the student interest on campus issues big and small, from your tuition rate to the meal plan. I have had the pleasure of serving last year as Academic Vice President, and I have a number of ideas for an active and approachable SGA in the coming year.

One of the biggest challenges for SGA I’ve witnessed during my three years here is the challenge of reaching all students, including residents and non-residents, or graduates and undergraduates. In my executive staff, I have hired two directors. One is chiefly responsible for scheduling meetings for the SGA executive leadership, including myself, to attend. In other words, I will be attending a diverse group of RSOs’ meetings throughout the year to learn about their needs and interests. Students do not always respond when SGA tries to reach out through Facebook or email, so my administration will strive to reach them directly through RSO meetings and existing campus engagements.

As the costs of college continue to rise, I believe it is my responsibility to explore ways in which SGA can take small financial burdens off students. For example, I am looking into SGA’s ability to cover one replacement Cardinal Card for students during their time at UofL. Academically, it is my responsibility to advocate for policies that facilitate student graduation. For this reason, I will be working closely with the Academic Vice President to explore a centralized advising option that would greatly reduce advising stresses for students across units and majors.

Over the summer, I will be getting started with a committee to revise the SGA Student 2020 Plan. If you or someone you know is interested in serving on that committee, feel free to contact me. The current 2020 Plan can be viewed by visiting
www.UofLSGA.org.

I advise incoming students never to hesitate to contact SGA with pertinent student life or academic concerns. It is the pledge of my administration, including Executive Vice President Elizabeth Delaney, Academic Vice President Grant Ford, and Services Vice President Morgan Jenny, to do everything we can to serve you.

In Diligence,
Carrie Mattingly

Photo courtesy of louisville.edu

By Aaron Williams–

The University of Louisville Office of First Year Initiatives has announced that the next book in common will be ‘This I Believe.’ The book is a collection of short, personal essays written by both the famous and the everyday citizen. Each of the essays reflects the writer’s core values and beliefs that guide their daily lives. The book is also part of an international project that aims to engage in people in writing, sharing, and discussing their own personal belief statements.

According to thisibelieve.org, the program’s executive producer Dan Gediman states, “The goal is not to persuade Americans to agree on the same beliefs. Rather, the hope is to encourage people to begin the much more difficult task of developing respect for beliefs different from their own.” It is clear that this goal will work to advance U of L’s own commitment to diversity on campus.

The Office of First Year Initiatives has stated that “Book-In-Common is one of the pillar programs through which FYI engages and supports our new students, even as we extend the conversation to include our larger campus and local communities.”  Previous Book In Common events have engaged U of L students in a variety of ways such as out-of-class group discussions, community service projects, essay contests, film screenings, and faculty lectures and panels.
The goals for these books in common events are to foster higher retention rates and better prepare students for their college experience. The book-in-common goals are summarized by the acronym CAPS. C is for civic, engaging students in the university community. A is for academic, exercising student’s critical thinking skills. P is for personal, helping student’s to learn more about themselves and others as they explore diverse views. And S is for social, allowing students to connect to their peers and university faculty through the book in common experience.

University of Louisville Ideas to Action (i2a) director Patty Payette states, “Book-in-common provides a springboard for connecting communities across our diverse campus. Students, faculty, and staff can participate in a shared conversation around a common text that can guide us to consider deeply and think critically about the world around us.”

The book in common aims to combine the i2a framework with the university’s Paul-Elder critical thinking model and utilize both in students’ in and out of class experiences. It also supports community engagements initiatives, as well as engagement in both teaching and learning. It also demonstrates participation in President Ramsey’s Vision for Diversity and unit-specific diversity plans.

The book in common is selected from a range of criteria each year. These criterion include the books relatedness to students, its readability, its promotion of critical thinking, its integration across disciplines, its ability to fit a program, the level of community engagement promoted by the text, the quality of the text, and feasibility of the program. Past Book in Common events, such as ‘The Other Wes Moore’ by author Wes Moore, have also hosted the author of the book for an on-campus discussion.

features@louisvillecardinal.com
Photo courtesy of atlantic.org

Most call Louisville an island in the state of Kentucky. Since its establishment in 1780, the river city has been cultivating its own unique culture from the compassion and personality of its population. For the millions of visitors traveling to the city each year, the children who have grown up here, and those who have fallen in love with the laid-back, personal feel of the city and chosen to call it home – the one-of-a-kind experience that Louisville gives is unmeasurable. Here are five reasons we think Louisville has got it going on.

Between concerts, art galleries, outdoor activities and food and drink, Louisville has a lot to offer.

Music
Louisville is not short of local music.
A Lion Named Roar, who just recently performed on U of L’s campus at the Red Barn, will be on the bill for Forecastle, as well as Jim James, frontman for My Morning Jacket. The Forecastle Festival takes place at the Waterfront from July 15 through the 17 and offers Louisville’s own music and arts, as well as some large, widely acclaimed national acts.
Kenneth Tyler of A Lion Named Roar says, “I think Louisville is a town that prides themselves on great local talent, and I think the University does a great job of acknowledging that talent. As a local band, it’ really important for us to gauge for where we are amongst the vast talent in this city.” Even the venues that bring big names to town, like Headliners Music Hall, the Brown Theatre, and The Louisville Palace invite local musicians to open for bigger name acts. Curious as to who are some of the most popular names are around town? Be sure to give Justin Lewis a listen, as well as folk-favorite Ben Sollee. Some of the biggest names in music hail from the Possibility City, including My Morning Jacket, Houndmouth, and Lionel Hampton, and they often play shows around the city, so be sure to be on the lookout.

Art
Louisville’s eclectic art scene is nothing short of entertaining and inspiring. Organizations like the Speed Art Museum (who is still operating off-campus despite the museum’s 3-year renovations) and the Louisville Visual Art Association provide plenty of summer camps for kids and other auctions and functions for adults in the area. U of L’s campus even appeals to art lovers. The Hite Art Institute in Schneider Hall showcases student-directed exhibits, senior BFA thesis exhibitions, and other art collections for student and public appreciation. Not to mention, art lovers can enjoy the First Friday Trolley Hop downtown, where many art galleries (located near many eateries and bars the patrons can also visit) stay open late on the first Friday of each month – be sure to check this event out in the summer when the weather is nicest and more people attend. The First Friday Trolley Hop includes stops on Market and Main Streets, in-between Campbell Street and 10th Street. For additional information on the Trolley Hop, visit:
www.FirstFridayTrolleyHop.com

Food
Louisvillians have options ranging from the cheapest and most deliciously greasy meal found at Burger Boy (located within walking distance of campus at Brook and Burnett) to the more refined and luscious selections at  Vincenzo’s Italian Restaurant (a five-minute drive to the middle of downtown). Seriously, Louisville has the most satisfactory variety of food. We’ve even got food trucks – search www.louisvillestreetfood.com for a full list of the city’s wheeling food options as well as time and location info. While food lovers should definitely look downtown when they’re feeling the hungriest, many locations near U of L’s campus are just as delectable and much more accessible. This writer’s close-to-campus favorites include Cottage Inn and Dairy Kastle (if you don’t love this seasonal oasis, get out of town). Whether you’re attending a show at Actor’s Theatre, a Bats game, a basketball game at the Yum! Center, or ending a late night on Fourth Street Live, Louisville’s delicious menu is the perfect supplement to any event.

Nature
If you’re just coming to Louisville for the first time, or you’ve been here your entire life, there’s always new things to find around Louisville when it comes to exploring outdoors. Jefferson Memorial Forest is the largest urban forest in the country, and both Jeffierson Memorial Forest and Bernheim Forest are known for their great running and hiking trails, as well as their diverse classes on animals, flowers, and trees found around the woods. If hiking isn’t your thing though, never fear. Louisville also has great outdoor parks, such as Cheeroke Park and Waterfront Park. Both offer great views of the city, as well as walking and bike trails. The Big Four Bridge which recently opened at Waterfront Park is also conveniently located ten minutes from campus and serves as a wonderful spot to sightsee for visitors and locals alike.

Alcohol
(If you’re of age, of course.)
It wouldn’t be Louisville, Kentucky if alcohol wasn’t mentioned in some form. Between the well-known bourbon trails that are roughly 40 minutes away from the city, to the unique breweries found around Louisville, new and fun ways to think about alcohol and liqour have been popping up all over the Kentuckiana area. Between Against the Grain, located in the Slugger Stadium downtown, Bluegrass Brewing Company, BBC, which has numerous locations around Louisville, and Cumberland Brews on Bardstown Road, you’re sure to find something you like. Not a fan of specialty beers? Explore Louisville and check out the awesome local bars that are around town – there are a ton, we promise.

features@louisvillecardinal.com
Photos by Anna Meany/The Louisville Cardinal

By Caitlyn Crenshaw–

One of the many questions facing incoming and returning women as the summer nears its end is have you thought about going through sorority recruitment?  Some girls may jump in ready to start out on a new experience either for the first time in college or for something new as a returning student.  Whether you are an incoming freshmen or a returning student, knowing what to expect throughout the week of sorority recruitment will help to ease your nerves and be confident in whatever happens on bid day.

Before I give you advice on what to expect throughout the week of panhellenic recruitment, I want you to know why I encourage everyone to think about signing up for sorority recruitment.  One of the best decisions that I made coming into U of L was to sign up for sorority recruitment.  To those of you who are uncertain, I encourage you to take a chance and just maybe, you will not only open yourself up to many opportunities during your college career, but also discover the meaning of best friends and sisterhood.

The four days of recruitment are divided into themes for each day: finance night, philanthropy night, skit night and preference night.  On the first day, finance night, expect to meet a lot of people very quickly.  Don’t be intimidated by the conversations, because chances are the sorority women you are talking to are nervous as well.  Philanthropy night is centered on each house’s individual philanthropy, which is at the heart of the entire greek community.  On skit night, each house will put on a short skit showing the personality of their chapter and what they are truly all about.  Don’t be afraid to get into it and have fun.

On preference night, you will find a different atmosphere than the rest of the week.  This night is where each house gives you a glimpse of their sisterhood and why they want you to be a part of it.  You will hear girls say how they have found a home in their chapter.  When they say this to you, they are not reciting from a script.  They sincerely have found a home in the friendship of their sisters and the community of greek life.

Listen to your Gammi Chis. These girls are your recruitment counselors throughout the week and will be with you every step of the way.  You can talk to them about anything and about every house.  They will give unbiased advice.  They took this position because they want to help you have fun, feel comfortable, and find a chapter that you can call home.

It doesn’t matter what letters these girls belong to on bid day because they all have something in common: they are there for you throughout the process of recruitment.

When you sign up for recruitment, there will be guidelines on what you should wear each day.  For example, black, cocktail dresses for preference night are encouraged.  Follow the guidelines, but do not be afraid to be unique and show your personal style.

Exude confidence and stand out. With so many girls going through recruitment, it can be hard for the women inside to remember everyone’s name and something special about them.  It is up to you to make yourself memorable and make the women on the inside want to get to know you more personally.  It is important to be yourself, so that when you have that memorable conversation at one of the houses, it is a real connection with the women of that chapter.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions, no matter how many you have to ask.  It’s understandable to be curious or confused.  Ask the women you are talking to questions such as, “What made you want to go greek?” and “What would you ask in recruitment if you could do it again?”  The more questions you ask the more at ease you will feel at a house.  The women on the inside will be completely honest with you and want you to end up at the right house for you.

Like so many of you, I did not know what to expect throughout the week of panhellenic sorority recruitment.  The best advice is to be flexible and embrace the uncertainty of each day.  Inevitably, a schedule will be lost or incorrect, but it will work out.  Going into each day with an open mind about each of the sorority houses will only make each day fun and help calm your nerves.

When you start to feel overwhelmed or that maybe sorority recruitment was a bad idea, don’t give up just yet.  At the time of recruitment, you may not see the meaning to the madness, but I promise you, one day you will see it.  And on that day, you will happy you stayed throughout the week.
The best advice that someone gave me was to imagine yourself in sweatpants watching a fun movie cuddled up on the couch of the sorority house with the girls you are talking to throughout the week.  Wherever you end up on bid day, know that the girls wearing the letters that are soon to be yours as well saw the qualities in you that they value and embody.  They are genuinely excited and thrilled when you come running with your bid.  This bid card is the end of recruitment, but it is only the beginning of your life as part of a sisterhood.

features@louisvillecardinal.com
Photo by Andrew Nathan/The Louisville Cardinal

By Lara Kinne–

Iroquois Amphitheater
Iroquois Park
There’s hardly a better place to hear live music than in the presense of a docile summer breeze. Iroquois Amphitheater located in Iroquois Park is nature’s venue. And it is a beautiful one. Throughout the summer, the amphitheater hosts weekly concerts and movie screenings free of charge.  It is a relaxed venue, an open-air construct with elevated seating that provides both comfort and visibility. Check out these big-name music events on the way.
The Paul Thorn Band/Jason Isbell
& the   400 Unit
June 7, 7:30 p.m. $20 adv.
Local Natives/Ex Cop
June  11, 8 p.m. $24 adv.
Brandi Carlile/The Lone Bellow
June 23, 7:30 p.m. $30-$40
Gregg Allman (of the Allman Brothers)
June 26, 7:30 p.m. $29-$55
Michael Franti/Spearhead/Saints
of Valory
July 19, 8 p.m. $25 adv.

The Big Four Lawn
Waterfront Park
Free concerts await at the waterfront, thanks to 91.9 WFPK’s annual concert series, Waterfront Wednesday, which kicked off earlier this month with Ra Ra Riot and A Lion Named Roar. The waterfront is also home to the Forecastle Festival, a three-day affair that falls in July, drawing more than 30,000 music fans to Louisville. So, take a squat on the Big Four lawn, feel the cool grass and gorge on food truck cuisine.

The Forecastle Festival
July 12-14, Single day-$60, weekend-$165
VIP packages also available
The remaining 2013 Waterfront Wednesday series is currently TBA. Keep up with upcoming events at louisvillewaterfront.com.

Louisville Secret Shows
Louisville Secret Shows challenges you to experience “secret” shows by following clues on their Facebook page. Once a show is booked, they announce the lineup, time and cost for admission via Facebook. But one significant detail is absent: the venue. This is where the challenge begins. Prior to the each show, they reveal 6-10 clues regarding the venue location; the final clue is printed in LEO Weekly two days before the show. Connect the dots and you will find the correct location.
‘Like’ Louisville Secret Shows:
www.facebook.com/louisvillesecretshows

Cardinal’s Choice
Sometimes the best events aren’t always publicized like a Bon Jovi billboard. Lucky for our readers, the Louisville Cardinal scrutinized the internet and found these gold nugget events.
Bill Callahan/Flat Foot/Shedding
Headliners, 1386 Lexington Rd.
May 2, 8 p.m. $15
Tibetan Freedom Concert feat.
Ben Sollee & friends,
Nawang Khechog
The Brown Theater, 315 W Broadway
May 20, 8 p.m. $22
Vandaveer/Musikanto
Uncle Slayton’s, 1017 E Broadway
May 22, 8:30 p.m. $10
Xerxes/Daylight/Foreign Tongues
The Vernon Club, 1575 Story Ave.
May 23, 7:30 p.m. $10
Karass/Howell Dawdy/Alcohol Party
Zanzabar, 2100 S Preston St.
May 25, 9 p.m. $5
Father John Misty/Pure Bathing Culture
Headliners, 1386 Lexington Rd.
June 12, 9 p.m. $12 adv.
David Byrne and St. Vincent
The Kentucky Center, 501 W Main St.
July 2, 7:30 p.m. $35-75

features@louisvillecardinal.com

College Prowler recently released their updated list of the most vegan and vegetarian-friendly college campuses. U of L ranked fairly middle-of-the road at 853 of 1,323. While options for the meatless and/or halakhically inclined are typically buried within menus, they are ready and available to those who know where to look.

Luckily, the Cardinal has complied a handy-dandy guide to campus dining to take out the guesswork, so you can confidently stroll in, knowing exactly what you’re going to order, and look like a total pro doing it. We used the same price ranking system as Urban Spoon does — adjusted for a college budget. Take a look!

Wendy’s — $
Wendy’s is among the cheapest of options for trying to use up that last little bit left on your meal plan. In the mornings, they offer steel-cut oatmeal, fresh-baked oatmeal bars, and seasoned homestyle potatoes. As they transition to lunch, their vegetarian menu narrows considerably, but fries are always an option. And, though it isn’t on their menu, Wendy’s offers a sandwich composed of the same veggies that are found on their burgers for a mere $.69 — probably the cheapest thing to happen on campus, ever.

Subway — $$
Subway is a national brand, but just in case you’ve been living under a rock, they offer the Veggie Delite, on which you can choose the veggies you want. They also carry the Veggie Patty, which isn’t on their menu.

Einstein Bros. Bagels — $$
Einstein Bros. offers a greater variety of bagels than you are likely to see south of New York City. To be more explicit, they offer plain, blueberry, Power Protein, asiago, chocolate chip, cinnamon raisin, 100 Percent Whole Wheat with Honey, Sesame Dip’d, cinnamon sugar, sourdough and Everything — any of which can be turned into the sandwich of your choosing, which, if you’re reading this guide, could only be the Veg Out. If you’re only in the mood for a nosh, you can order your bagel with schmear in plain, strawberry, smoked salmon, or garlic and chive. You can also order them with hummus, peanut butter, jelly, honey butter or butter blend. They also carry fruit cups, Garden Market Chopped Salads, an asparagus-mushroom-swiss-egg white bagel thin, and a cheese-only bagel thin.

Tulip Tree Cafe — $$
The Tulip Tree Cafe in Ekstrom Library is not only a good place to grab a cup of coffee, but also to grab a bite. They offer two vegetarian sandwiches, the Roasted Veggie Wrap and the Mozzarella Tomato, both of which can be ordered toasted. They also offer an egg and cheese sandwich in the mornings.

Papa John’s Pizza — $$
If you’re not from Louisville, you may not know that Papa John’s is a local brand. John Schnatter and his family have given greatly of their time and money to the University of Louisville, such that Papa John’s is the exclusive pizza provider on campus. The restaurant operates in single-serving combo meals in cheese pizza, veggie pizza, and cheese stick varieties.

Freshens / Quick Zone / Seasons — $$
These restaurants represent three food locations in one. Freshens is the spot’s smoothie concept, Quick Zone is their convenience store-style setup and Seasons is a soup and salad bar that charges by the pound. Each of them is extremely streamlined and efficient, allowing you to create your own experience.

Shah’s Mongolian Grill — $$$
Shah’s is a custom noodle-and-rice bowl outfit boasting food that is cooked right in front of your eyes by the proprietor, if you should choose to stick around and watch this novelty. Every ingredient in your bowl gets your say-so, so it won’t be hard to create a vegetarian option for yourself. They also offer a wide selection of sauces — also mixed before your eyes. An important note: Shah’s does not accept Cardinal Cards, but they do offer a ten percent discount to students who present an ID.

McAlister’s Select — $$$
McAlister’s Select doesn’t have the same range of items that a full franchise does, but the one run at U of L by Sodexo has almost as many vegetarian options. For lunch, the restaurant transitions to serving three different types of baked potato — the Cheese Spud, a baked potato with cheese; Justaspud, just a plain baked potato; the Veggie spud, served with cheese, sour cream, tomatoes and chives. They also offer a nacho basket, soups-of-the-day, a garden salad and the Veggie Club — not to be confused with another sandwich they offer, “The Veggie.” In case you forget what’s vegetarian and what’s not, McAlister’s has provided a vegetarian indicator on their menu board which takes the form of a tomato.

The Terrace — $$$
The Terrace comprises four restaurants which spill out into the main cafeteria. Here, you can choose to eat breakfast or lunch from around the world at the Global Market, a noodle or rice platter with tofu and an egg roll from the Mein Bowl, waffle fries from Chick-fil-A or California rolls from Tsunami Sushi.

Damon’s Grill — $$$$
Stylized as a sports bar, Damon’s is lacking in vegetarian options, but they do have one. The Create-Your-Own Pasta dish allows you to have things your way, but since it is also the most expensive option around, you can’t have things your way all the time.

The Ville Grille — N/A
Probably the most economical option for a residential student on a meal plan, the Ville Grille offers a special section of their cafeteria, the Wild Mushroom, specifically to vegetarians, allowing easy access to tofu at any time the restaurant is open. There are plenty of vegetarian options to be found in the rest of the Ville Grille as well, but since their menu is constantly changing, it is impossible to profile all of them. It’s a good excuse to explore your campus dining options, eh?

features@louisvillecardinal.com

By Maggie Cunningham–

In two years, four semesters and 18 classes, I had been to campus a total of three times. Each time had been to visit my advisor so that they could remove the academic hold on my schedule for the next year. The advisor constantly reassured me that if I wanted to, and planned accordingly, I could finish my entire Bachelor’s Degree online.

I didn’t know who the president of the university was or what he looked like. The campus was a maze, parking was confusing and I didn’t know a single student or organization.

Classes taken online by way of Blackboard have been the only option for me to ever finish my degree. I don’t have scholarships, grants or loans, and FAFSA is, well, not helpful. Paying out of pocket when you are a young adult is costly, so the only way to make it happen is to work full time, which in turn takes up all of the time the average student would be spending sitting in a classroom.

Some students, like me, excel in the online atmosphere. I have made it on the Dean’s List and am getting straight A’s for the first time in my life. But they don’t work for everybody. So how do you decide if online classes will work for you?
I don’t know anyone who knows online classes better than I do. So as I do with most things, I made a list — a list of pro’s and con’s to online classes.

The most important pro is flexibility. Instead of going to class on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for an hour at a time, many teachers will assign a few items for the week and they are due by a certain day and time towards the end of the week. You can read the assigned chapter, complete any activities and participate in blogs and discussions around your schedule when it is convenient for you. You can fit your class time around work, errands, a child, an internship or a practice schedule.

As far as money is concerned, I have never had to get dressed, put on makeup, or buy any excessive school supplies. I have never wasted gas on driving to and from campus, or spent any money on a parking pass or a meter. I assume in the grand scheme of finances, these seemingly insignificant costs really add up.

It is also important to note that taking tests, in some ways, can be easier when done online. On Blackboard, every test is open-book. However, most tests are timed, and being unfamiliar with the chapter material can and will hurt you. In most cases, you should read a question and recognize it. If you don’t remember the exact answer, you have a short window in which to find it and move on to the next question. Some classes, like Spanish, actually require a webcam for some tests so that you can prove verbal and written competency, and that you definitely can’t fake or cheat.

In my own mind, I have always had this list of pros readily available to defend the type of education I receive. When some family members found out I was taking classes online, it seemed like they thought less of the education I was getting because of how I was learning it. Let me make one thing clear: taking classes online is no walk at the park.

Because of the lack of face time and physical class time you get, you have to do twice-if-not-three-times the coursework to prove to the teacher and the university that you are learning what you are supposed to. In a classroom discussion about history, you can hide in the back and never raise your hand, but still get participation points for being there. Online, you are almost always required to post in discussion boards at least two to three times a week and each has to be a certain length. Most often, you have to make your own initial post, and then wait a certain amount of allotted days or hours before logging back in and responding to other classmates posts. Weekly quizzes often ensure you have read the book if one was required for reading; and assignments and papers are heavy, so that they know you aren’t just coasting through.

An extreme downside is the financial aspect. Online hours are more expensive, and they don’t cap at 12 credit hours if you are taking more. So if you take five classes, or 16 credit hours, not only are you paying for each individual hour, you are paying roughly 130 percent of each of the normal cost for those hours.  To some this may not be worth the pajama classes from the couch. But even with the added expense, I wouldn’t have been able to pay for regular tuition without working full time anyway, so paying the extra bit was more than worth it. It was my only option.

For many students, an actual lecture and the teacher and student interaction that you get face-to-face in a classroom is vital to a clear understanding of course content; taking online classes spells disaster. Between not being able to force themselves to do the work since there is no official set class time, and the many distractions that can keep you from finishing your work, if you don’t see yourself as a motivated and organized individual the lack of a classroom could be detrimental to your GPA.

The biggest con however, was the one I didn’t know about. Last semester I finally broke down and took a class I was obsessed with taking that was only available on campus. It wasn’t until I had to come here more often that I realized how much I was missing. I had no idea what any of the buildings were, where they were or what purpose they served. I didn’t understand what wide array of groups there were to become affiliated with. There is so much here to take a part in, that is a major part of our lives and shouldn’t be missed.

If I hadn’t taken that class, I would not have met the teacher who opened up so many doors for me both on and off campus. Since I finished her class, she has sent me numerous internships to look into, and written me recommendations for them all. She also wrote me an amazing recommendation for the Mortar Board at U of L. She didn’t do these things because I am “just that awesome,” she did them because having face-to-face interaction built a connection between student and teacher that cannot be built through a computer screen.

The most important thing that this teacher did for me was introduce me to The Louisville Cardinal. Having not been on campus, I had never even heard of the student newspaper.  When a position opened, she recommended I apply. So I did, and here I am. I have learned more in the past few months about the things I want to do when I leave this school from working at the paper than I have in any class. The experience alone will make it easier for me to succeed.

I can only imagine all of the doors that could have been opened for me by teachers just like her, who I never had the chance to meet. I highly recommend online classes because they have allowed me to finish a degree that I never thought I could. But I also advise you not to take that classroom or lecture hall for granted.

opinion@louisvillecardinal.com