Does Cairn Really Care About My Safety?
Penndel parking…what a joke. I mean, who has the time to wait for the shuttle or wait for a security officer to meander over after their donut break. I am here to get an education; that is my primary goal. Why in the world am I expected to spend my precious time anticipating my next form of transportation to arrive? Why can’t free parking be an option? Seriously, I have to pay for a parking pass and I can’t even park my car at my own apartment?
And oh, God forbid, if you have class after 1:50, you’re stuck. You’re trapped at school till 4:05. Oh wait, I can call Safety and Security. They will safely escort me to my home. Wrong again; apparently Safety and Security isn’t a “taxi service,” so you must walk. But isn’t their job to “protect people and property, maint
aining as safe a learning environment as possible”? How is waiting in the dark for the shuttle to arrive, being rejected a ride because OSS is not a “taxi service,” having to walk home after your 2:00 class, or being abandoned by a full shuttle considered safe? I mean, are you telling me to stay inside after dark and to avoid all responsibilities that require travel so that I don’t have to inconvenience OSS? Or are you failing to uphold the purpose that OSS exists in the first place?
Okay, some can raise the question: why not have a friend drive you? Despite my “agreeable personality,” I don’t exactly have people lining up at my door to offer to drive me around all day. Meeting people at Cairn is hard enough; why would I want to burden a friendship with the task of picking me up and dropping me off everyday? Is Safety and Security ignorant to the fact that most students don’t sit around all day waiting to pick up people after school? Or the fact that not everyone has the same schedule where they can carpool with one another? Work, cooking, cleaning, relationships and homework fill me with enough anxiety already without having to add anything additional. What is the purpose of all this anarchy? For the sake of the student body and OSS workers, do us a favor and change. Stop fighting us; we are here for our education, and this problem is influencing our education. I am not passionate because I am accusing Safety and Security of failing. I write because I am a responsible student victimized by the negligence of Cairn’s transportation.
Most of you probably think I am the biggest baby right now, and want me to suck it up. While I do respect that opinion and think you are entitled to it, why should I have to just suck it up? I’m paying just as much money for school as everyone else, and Penndel is my home too. I’m not on the meal plan like most other people, so I actually need to be an adult and go grocery shopping and cook my meals. I work for my education equally as hard as upperclassmen and value my career path just as much as others. What makes me different? What has made underclassmen the burden-carriers?
Although this may be written and forgotten. I hope that just one person will have as much courage as I do and demand what we deserve. I’m not talking about fighting OSS; I’m talking about demanding what is already rightfully yours. Demand uniformed parking rights and demand more shuttle times. We need to continually progress towards improving the student body and showing God’s love in the process.
The Author
11 Comments
Hey Molly! I’m going to put this out there, I do not live in Penndel, and I am not in the same situation as you are. So, no, I am not claiming to fully understand your position and where you’re coming from.
With that being said, could you define these following terms and point me where you express these in your article:
1. Grace
2. Safety
3. Entitlement
Thank you!
Hey Philip,
Thank you for your comment. I completely understand where you’re coming from. I understand my article is very harsh and pungent, but I think it’s important to be able to share not only the feelings of myself, but also the feeling of others. I hope that you can see my perspective. I was not writing strictly to resolve my own anger, but writing satirically on a subject that affects students daily. I was focused on enlightening others on a problem that has been occurring. And sometimes sharp words are effective. I agree I could have shown more grace. I do regret some of the sharp wording I used, but regardless of my lack of favor, a problem still exists and my safety and other Cairn students’ safety is greatly hindered. I understand senior privileges, but this is my home too. Perhaps senior entitlement can be expressed elsewhere, other than at the expense of others’ safety. I appreciate your comment and encourage others to always voice their perspective. I apologize if I offended you and greatly appreciate your comment.
Thank you for your honesty. Every rebuke has a grain of truth in it and I can definitely hear how it is that you feel quite angry over the need to be provided for your safety. I mean that’s got to be pretty scary having to walk that far as a young lady in this area and not having OSS being able to take you because they aren’t a taxi service! Man I feel for you girl! I have my own car, so I simply plan around these things, but I cannot truly imagine or understand having to have to be dependent on a system that makes you feel unsafe, fearful, and angry over not being able to have these things or even be able to plan your day accordingly so that you can take care of yourself as an adult in a busy academic schedule.
I say all these things before, because I do feel for you and I hope that I heard you well and I want you to understand that I feel for you.
But I do have a few comments that I hope will spurn you on to consider a different perspective, if this is alright with you? If it is not alright with you, you can totally choose not to read further.
Can I bring you back to an earlier time in this schools not to far off history. Man using history makes it sound like it was forever ago. Let’s just say in the past few years before you were on campus or dependent on the shuttle for penndel. As I do not know what year you are, but I assume that you may be a sophomore or a junior at most. Sorry, If i am wrong in this assumption.
To give perspective, this is my fourth year on campus and my fifth year in college. Though, this is my first year living in penndel. But here’s the past history. Our school went through some major budget cuts not only two years ago! About 27 faculty/staff were asked to leave!! Yes, it was a scary time that many wondered if we would even have this school anymore and what was going on! Let me say that cuts of extra spending had to happen so that you and everyone would have an education and a job. From an accounting perspective, which I have little, but one of those things included the random hours that the shuttle rand back and forth burning up precious gas money and adding wear and tare on a vehicle doing wasteful laps.
If you notice when you ride the shuttle now, the driver will circle a tally describing how many students road in that hour. I believe that over the last few semesters they have been assessing the best possible way to provide for students needs and also keep this school running in a cost effective way but also in a God honoring and stewardship way as well to Give God glory so that we can now put that money into another aspect of His kingdom instead of wasting it on gas.
So know that the shuttle use to run so much more almost all of the time. So know that you are on the back end of these decisions and yes you are thought of and considered. But there are also a lot of variables that one cannot account for on OSS. Do they know hot to predict the mind of a person and say we need to have this much space on the shuttle at this time in a 24hr period of 30 different 15mn circle laps around the school. Well yes they are doing the best they can, but no they cannot always provide for you in this way I am sorry for that, but I am glad for your article because it sheds light on a need. I personally think you could have had much more grace in your article, but I know this may make you mad you are still an underclassmen and you will grow into more maturity and character and I do not expect you to respond in a more grace filled way but I exhort to you that you do for the grace of others.
There are a lot of things I am thankful for in this school. For one I’m glad that they changed this year to a raffle for penndel parking. Did you know that last year having the first time cutting all the shuttle times and also they let penndel parking be a free for all for everyone to park whenever, that it was a mayhem of complaints!! Thank God that they do change. And actually things are changing here constantly. So yes continue to voice your need, continue to pray for change, and we hope to support you in this process.
Do you need a ride each M/W/F at 2pm? I can email you my number and you can text me for a ride. I cannot guarentee I will be free. But I’ve given lots of students rides over the years. For example, my roomate one year had a broken leg. So I gave him a ride whenever he needed it. I’m sure there are many many more people who are in wheel chairs, are blind, are too short, or in crutches who would love to voice a complaint of being able to get into a shuttle and find it on your own. This is not me saying to suck it up, because every distressing moment is a 10 if we’ve never experienced it before. But also I want you to be thankful and rejoice that God has provided so immensely for your needs you don’t even know. As an older brother in Christ, I say be careful. Complaining was never good for the Israelites and all they had for protection was their God in a desert for 80yrs. just saying. There are homeless people out there who are in need everyday in this way. You have a lot. My question is have you stopped to consider the needs of others yourself Philippians 2:4, do you have this humility in your own heart? Maybe you have become to busy and not stopped to rest in sabbath to see God’s hand working to provide for you in your life. Maybe you do have humility, and my words are pointless, but I did not sense evidence of humble heart when you published your posted words. So forgive me if I am in the wrong with my questions here.
your Bro in Christ,
Caleb Bishop
Dear Caleb,
I am grateful for your response. I am completely open to new perspectives and value you taking the time to voice your own opinion. In response to your comment about the free parking, I was here at Penndel when that was in effect and I, among with many others, liked it. I understand it was very hectic after 6:00, but I rarely was left without a parking spot. I think we can agree to disagree on the parking. As to the fiscal problems, I am aware of the budget cuts and understand OSS is not responsible for transporting me wherever and whenever I want. I know the shuttle keeps a tight record on the number of riders; however, the problem is that the shuttle data is not being implemented per semester and problems like over full shuttle occur. I believe the shuttle data needs to be evaluated more frequently and shuttle times increased or altered if parking is not available for all residents. I have talked to OSS and have not been informed of any intentions of making changes, hence the purpose of my article. I am writing so that students can connect and discuss this issue. I apologize if my writing revealed an ungrateful hue of anger. I understand if my sarcastic writing came across as a lack in maturity. Your may very well be a mature person, because you have been able to voice your perspective with a kindness. However, the ironic thing with maturity is that age is often irrelevant. I guarantee you that someday you will find yourself embarrassed in the presence of a much younger individual who emulates maturity more predominantly. I encourage you to think about maturity differently and understand that sometimes it comes with age, but it also is gained through suffering. For some, maturity comes young because they have suffered much more. I hope my intentions are properly communicated and my apologies accepted. I appreciate your comment and greatly encourage others to share their perspectives as well, so we can collectively find a solution and ultimately serve God in the process.
Molly,
I appreciate your apology:) I forgive you now go walk in grace. You are right wisdom is learned through suffering and God has blessed me with it. If you know my testimony, you will know that I will not dare to ask God for humility again! It hurt to much the first time! But now I’m thankful that I love anyone and not only love, I am talking to myself here, my stuck up legalistic and Pharisaical ways. Now I want to love sinners and share the gospel with them. Though my testimony seem slightly irrelevant to topic, I share this because I wanted to reveal my suffering and it sounds that you do desire honesty of opinions and discussion.
Congratulations, it seems that your satire has brought the discussion; though a discussion brought potentially at the expense of yourself. Sorry that I called you young! your first response seemed very emotional in anger and at times in spite and without reason of understanding. I also assumed you were younger because you did not include any past history that would have shown the wisdom of years, age, or experience. I believe this is why I found you less mature. I now see that you actually have taken time to consider things and even took the responsible and mature route to talk to OSS. Haha yes, I have seen some younger people who are very wise. It is uncomfortable. I hope that OSS may continue to humbly take requests of students.
Thank you for your perspective and sharing with me that you enjoyed the free parking. I was an RA last year up in manor and only observed from affar from the comments of my friends and potentially other RA’s at what was happening. I did not have first hand experience as you had. Yes haha, coming in past 10pm or so can be quite frustrating. I believe they “accidentally” gave out more parking stickers then the parking lot can handle. Though, at least I can expect this by now.
Trust and know that a rebuke brings about your own heart. I hope that you have found yourself wise and not the fool. I think by your responses sense that you have learned a few things or so I hope. If anything I hope that this will be one thing you understand. Though Sattire is helpful for bringing response because it brings out peoples emotions. It is really the fruit of the Spirit of Kindness that draws people to repentance Romans 2:4.
Blessings,
Caleb Bishop
“Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you. Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.” Proverbs 9:8-9, I pray you may be the former if you are not already. If you feel you need wisdom, God will give it to you generously (James 1:5)! He loves you and wants you to represent Him and His name well.
I have a few things to say.
First off, you are correct in saying that OSS is not a taxi service. They aren’t. They are, however, a security service. And if you don’t feel safe walking less than a mile in broad daylight at 2:00 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, which is one of the wealthiest, non-ghetto, safest areas of the COUNTRY… then maybe you should re-evaluate some things.
Secondly, if your friends feel burdened by the fact that you need a ride to Penndel, then maybe they aren’t actually your friends. That’s something to think about. It really isn’t hard to meet people here, you just have to actually try.
Thirdly, if you aren’t on the meal plan, then you are actually paying LESS than everyone else, not the same amount.
And finally, no one deserves anything. No one s entitled to anything. Nothing that we have here on planet Earth, physical or otherwise, even belongs to us. Our bodies, food, rights, privileges, and anything else you can think of all belong to God. We deserve NOTHING other than eternal damnation. God, in His grace, has given us life, and a chance at much more than that. But we don’t deserve it AT ALL.
Don’t you think that as Christians, on a Christian college campus, living in America where that is totally legal, we should be a little more grateful for what we have? So many people around the world will NEVER get an opportunity like this in their entire lives. Maybe we should quit demanding things and be thankful for a second. Maybe we should grow up and learn to work with what we have, which is a lot, and make the most of it.
Zack,
I value your opinion and greatly appreciate your willingness to comment. I wish more people would have the same courage as you do to freely and passionately share your opinion. I hope that you can understand where I’m coming from. I fully understand that this is a generally safe area, but it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be cautious. As a woman, walking down the street it is completely different than it is for a man. For exclusive evidence to the difference between the sexes, I will give you a couple of examples. Previously I have been whistled at, and in broad daylight a man approached me and my friend and said, “yo baby get in my car,” as well as other obscenities. I think that many women can relate to my personal experience and hopefully you can see that regardless of a statistic it’s not safe or appropriate for a woman to have to walk home. I didn’t voice my personal evidence for any purpose other than to express my point more clearly. I also didn’t write because I’m some bitter underclassman with an inadequate perspective. I wrote unambiguously on an issue that has been neglected. And as a Christian I’m shocked that so many of you are so quick to question my faith. Christians are allowed to have an opinion and are certainly entitled to share it. I don’t understand how my right and my voice as a human being is translated as ungracious, demanding and immature. I am humbled in the presence of God everyday and I thank him for the very breath he gives me and every ounce of strength he provides me with. I am nothing without him; he is my light and wisdom. I encourage, not just you Zack, but everyone to be gracious. I’m by no mean a vicious person; I wrote this article for reasons that are irrelevant to your comments. I appreciate your opinion and value you as brother in Christ, but I hope you can put yourself in my shoes, and other student’s situations and have empathy. Once again I encourage you to continually express your thoughts and encouragement with others and actively fight for your convictions.
Molly,
Thank you for responding to my comment.
You are correct in stating that it is different to walk down the street as a woman than a man. I apologize for my rudeness there. All I can say is that it was 2 am and I was probably not thinking clearly or calmly. I also apologize for the fact that men act that way towards you and other women.
However, I would also like to say that I am not questioning your faith. What I was mainly trying to convey was my unhappiness with the sense of entitlement that I felt from your article. Especially at the end when you said “demand what we deserve” and “demanding what is rightfully yours.” My point was that we don’t actually deserve a thing, and that nothing is rightfully ours. I do understand that you feel as though the students living at Penndel should have a better system to get back and forth to class, but demanding things is not the right way to do it. I will even go so far as to admit that perhaps something should change over at Penndel. But attacking OSS won’t solve anything, and neither will demanding change.
I still stand by my comment on friends giving you rides. Personally, I would never hesitate to give any one of my friends a ride anywhere. If your friends don’t feel the same, then I apologize on their behalf, and would encourage you to find friends who will give you a ride home. If you would like to contact me on Facebook and ask me for a ride, I would be more than happy to help you out at anytime.
In the meantime, I will pray for you and I hope that you would pray for me as well. We all need Jesus, and we could all use a little perspective. I apologize again for my rudeness previously, and for any offense taken from anything I have said. I am also not a rude person, and I don’t want to offend anyone.
In Christ,
Zack
Hello Molly,
I hope all is well with you. I did enjoy reading your article and thought that it was interesting and compelling at times. I do have a few things to mention or bring up.
1. This Article- If you truly had an issue with a service that Cairn University is providing for you, do you think putting Security on blast especially in a public forum like this was at all appropriate. You could have handled it in so many different ways. This article had potential of being a great one, but the rudeness that was portrayed was out of line. In-coming freshman could see this and chose not to come here because they think there security is a threat/compromised.
2. I’m not going to lie I am not the smartest person in the world so i looked up that word you used in a comment; ‘Satirical” and the definition is; “(of a person or their behavior) sarcastic, critical, and mocking another’s weaknesses.” I’m interested to know if Christ made fun of your weaknesses or is He helping you grow day in and day out, in love and grace.
3. With your; education, grocery shopping, meal plan debuckle. Every student who comes to Cairn University must be on a meal plan unless you petition the school to get of a meal plan. So you chose not be on meal plan. However, you manage to go grocery shopping do other things, so why is finding a ride so complicated. I don’t know if you work on campus but if you don’t how do you get to work?
4. Submission to Authority- As members of the Cairn University there are several things that must be pointed out. You chose to come here, you chose to stay here, you know what services Cairn has provided, yet you have subjected yourself to Cairn University, so why complain?
5. Implementation of usage- Security I bet you is analyzing when there is a lot more usage of the shuttle and therefore, they aren’t providing rides via-shuttle during the times were there isn’t a high demand.
6. Most colleges require you to purchase a permit, not free parking. That small amount you give probably goes to off-set cost of wear and tear and plowing etc.
I did like your article but the information obtained here seemed like an immature rant instead of obtaining anything of real value.
Josh,
Thank you for your comment and it’s understandable if you didn’t like it; you’re entitled to that opinion. In regards to your comments:
1. I wrote this article because I have gone through the correct channels and have communicated with OSS. There has been no evidence of any change or any promises of change in the future. In response to my article scaring off incoming freshman, I’m confident that it won’t. Freshman don’t live at Penndel, unless they’re transfers, and my article isn’t a scare tactic; it’s the truth, and if my honesty is scary maybe it’s illuminating the problem at hand. This article is posted on a student-run web page specified for enrolled Cairn students; therefore, my audience is not incoming or prospective freshman, but the current student body. I understand the Internet and its irrevocable power, but the probability of my frank article frightening off students is highly unlikely. Your argument is sharp and enlightening, but I’m composed in my response and assure you that my article will not be jolting anybody into a panic.
2. I’m confident that your intellectual abilities are proficient. Based upon your honesty in your comment I assure you that you are not lacking in thought. In response to this section of your comment, I was a little confused as to what you meant. I understand what satirical means, but what I don’t understand is how my writing method was ungodly. I’m specifically referring to the satirical writing method, not my presentation. If you are worried about my moral state, due to my lack of proper presentation, scroll up and read my comment to Caleb: I apologized for my frankness and agree that I could have used kinder words, but nothing in my article was immoral: it was honest. There also is a fine line between passiveness and passion. I understand there is a time to show grace and love, but there are social rules that protect others from being mistreated. When such rules have been violated I believe it is acceptable to have a voice and confide in others, just as I have done.
3. Your meal plan theory is partially correct. Yes, I petitioned to be off the meal plan, but I didn’t choose to have Celiac’s disease and other food allergies. Groceries that accommodate my food allergies are approximately 3 times the price of regular food. If anything I pay more than my share for food.
4. I have chosen to come to Cairn and I have loved every moment of it. The fact that there has been an issue with Penndel parking and the shuttle doesn’t mean I need to leave, it means I have been given evidence that a problem is present, and it’s a part of my responsibility as a student to deal with such issues.
5. The purpose of my article was to reveal that OSS has not been adapting the shuttle schedule via data retrieval. If the shuttle was adapting the shuttle schedule per semester to current needs, there wouldn’t have been over-full shuttles or an issue with vacant shuttle times that leave lots of students stranded at school.
6. In regards to parking I believe we had a miscommunication on what free parking is. Free parking was a time where there were no limitations on who could park at Penndel. I am referring to the “first come first serve” regulation that we had last year. I loved free parking because no one was prohibited from parking at their own apartment. If they arrived too late at night or left their parking spot for any reason and returned to see that there were no spots available, then that was their own fault.
I appreciate your comment and hope that my rebuttal was clarifying. I don’t wish to make you look inferior in any way; I only wish to communicate our differences in a respectful and careful manner. I greatly appreciate your opinion and hope that I have politely redirected your assumptions.