NCTA students air concerns

Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Rick Mestas, associate dean at the University of Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, explains the latest in graduation fashion. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette)

CURTIS -- Students frustrated with campus life at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis turned Tuesday afternoon to the newest man on campus -- Associate Dean Rick Mestas, who has only been on campus since the end of the first semester.

While the students aired concerns, complaints and questions about things like cowboy hats at graduation, financial support for the rodeo team and the value of teacher evaluations, they also made it clear they want to get to know the man who assured them he's on campus to help ensure that NCTA is the college they -- the students -- want it to be.

Mestas told students he's been extremely busy "climbing a steep learning curve" about the college and Curtis, but he emphasized, "There's no gatekeeper keeping anyone away from my door." Mestas said he hasn't been able yet to determine a regular schedule for office hours, but, if the door's open, students are welcome.

A mortar board will be tossed in a drawer following graduation, Mestas said, and a tassel will wind up hanging on somebody's rearview mirror. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette)

Mestas stressed to students that it's their responsibility to be vocal, active and organized if they're not getting the education they're paying for. "I can't emphasize this enough," he told a student forum of about 20 of NCTA's 280-some students. "You are a paying customer. It certainly is a problem if you feel you're not getting what you paid for. I expect you to voice your concerns."

Mestas explained to students the concept of "shared governance," that student involvement and their input into campus issues is important to the faculty. "Changes at the college are going to come from you -- from the students up, not the faculty down," Mestas said.


NCTA students Siera Zuellner, left, and Casey Gathje were among 20 or so students who aired concerns and questions about campus life with Mestas Tuesday afternoon. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette)

Students read from prepared statements as they presented their cases before Mestas during a lunch-hour forum facilitated by Britni Freiboth, Aggie West residence hall manager and residence life coordinator on campus.

LIGHTING AND SECURITY -- Mestas told Eric Williams he has a very valid point about creating a safe, comfortable environment on campus and that improved lighting needs to be addressed, regardless of tight budgets. Mestas said he'll investigate back-up emergency lighting in buildings and dorms, improved outdoor lighting, "code blue stations" on campus from which students can call 911 and regular maintenance of existing lighting.

MEAL TICKETS -- Brittany Weber told Mestas, "We are no longer fifth graders," that students should be allowed to share their meal tickets, especially if friends lose or forget theirs. She also suggested that meal tickets roll over from one week to the other and that students have more options for the number of meals purchased each week. Weber is concerned that students waste money on junk food and pop when they haven't used all their meal punches by the end of the week.

Mestas said there is "significant cost" involved in creating a credit card system for meals, but the college is looking into it. "We are trying to satisfy you as a customer," he said.

However, he also explained "the slippery slope," down which people, programs and processes fall when rules are followed indiscriminately. "We're trying to control the process," Mestas said. "From a business aspect, the fewer meals you serve, the more the meals cost."

"Your meals at $4.88 are pretty inexpensive," Mestas said.

He continued, "We're trying our best to keep this place affordable. Food costs will go up if we allow students to run helter-skelter with their meal cards. The point is, the food here is pretty affordable."

HANDS-ON NCTA -- Clint Hostler told Mestas he doesn't feel he's getting the hands-on learning that NCTA advertises. He sited classroom lectures, old machinery and boredom. Hostler asked that NCTA work with implement companies that donate equipment to colleges to learn current technology.

Mestas told Hostler, "If you are not getting what you expected, it's important to voice that. I expect you to voice your concern."

Mestas asked Hostler to get students together and come to him with specifics about their concerns and their expectations.

Hostler and several other students asked also that diesel technology be returned to the curriculum and that a welding certification course be added. Mestas said it would require a study of costs involved to return or add programs, and working with the university's board of regents to bring back a program.

RESIDENCE HALLS -- Siera Zuellner asked that either free laundry services be provided in the dorms or quarter machines installed. Mestas said he will check into contracts that the college has with the laundry equipment providers and also into installing quarter machines.

Zuellner also asked about creating a facilities fund, funded by students and coordinated by residence hall assistants, that could be used to purchase amenities at the dorms, fund facility improvements such as new televisions, microwaves, washer/dryers, kitchen equipment or even to pay for dorm parties. Zuellner said the fund could be used to "make the dorms more home-like, easing the transition from home to college."

TRAP CLUB AND GUN SAFES -- Mestas asked Gavin Jager to research interest, competition and costs involved with starting a school-sponsored trap shooting team. "I'm all in favor of clubs and activities," Mestas said, but there's a process that has to be followed. "If you can find the interest, we'll talk about it," he said. "I'll support it."

As far as a gun safe on campus, Mestas said that would have to be coordinated with the county sheriff -- "That's the law," he said -- and get the approval of the University. He doesn't see that happening, he admitted.

One student told Mestas that a gun safe on campus would keep students from hiding their guns on campus. Mestas warned, "No one had better be hiding guns on campus. It'll be a very, very bad day for someone hiding a gun on campus. That's extremely, extremely, extremely serious -- the highest level of infraction. Where's 'the big house' in Nebraska?"

RODEO TEAM -- Tanner McVay told Mestas that the rodeo team represents NCTA, wears vests that say "NCTA, but we don't get any financial support from NCTA."

McVay said rodeo team members resent money spent on the basketball team, when the rodeo team pays its on expenses.

McVay told Mestas that, yes, rodeo team is a club sport, not a varsity sport like basketball.

Mestas said he's unfamiliar with the college's rules regarding club sports, but said he'd look into them, at the same time asking rodeo team members to consider seeking business and corporate sponsorships.

CONTROLLING THE PREGNANCY RATE -- Kaye Rohrer told Mestas that there were at least 16 pregnancies on campus last year, and three this year, "but the year isn't over."

She said, "The problem is not that NCTA should try to stop the fornication of students, but that administration is not helping to promote safe sex and the responsibilities of having sex." Rohrer requested that condoms be made available in restrooms and residence halls and that the college provide more presentations, like the "Sex Signals" presentation the college sponsored.

NCTA needs to continue the sex awareness and health classes of high school, Rohrer said.

Mestas paused, and said, "The fact of the matter is, you are all adults. We can run a healthy, controlled environment, but we can't control you."

TRANSFER COURSES -- Zuellner asked for the designation of one person on campus to handle class transfer questions and concerns.

She also asked if NCTA can offer more general education courses that transfer to four-year colleges and more fun classes like art or physical education and interesting classes like history or agricultural law. She said students leaders can survey student to see what classes they might like.

Mestas said he himself plans to offer evening music and art appreciation classes.

He said he is more than willing to meet with a student forum on a regular basis, to keep abreast of what's going on and the morale on campus. He said he wants students to know that "really, truly, more than anything, I'm on your side."

TEACHER EVALUATIONS -- Andrew Bose asked whether administration really reads students' evaluations of teachers at the end of each school year. "We expect our evaluations to be taken seriously," he said.

Mestas assured Bose that he will be reading students' evaluations, but encouraged students with specific concerns about a particular teacher not to wait until the end of the year. "Come see me," he said.

Bose also said that teachers appear to know when administrators plan classroom visits and adjust their teaching style during a visit, and "go right back to their old ways once you leave."

COWBOY HATS AT GRADUATION -- Emily Renbarger and several other students told Mestas they object to wearing cowboy hats at graduation rather than the traditional mortar board and tassel. "Not all of us are cowboys or cowgirls, or even were raised on a farm," Renbarger said, explaining that she objects to the stereotype that cowboy hats create.

Mestas said the idea of wearing cowboys hats at graduation is just an idea that was mentioned to create a tradition very unique to NCTA. "It's not something that is going to be forced upon students," he said.

He assured students, "It's not a joke. It could be cool for us to do something different," to create a tradition that unites and identifies NCTA students, something beyond mud football.

The style, color and crease of a hat could be decided upon by students, Mestas said. "It could be what you choose," he said.


Mestas told students, "I'm not Oprah. I can't solve the personal problems of people." However, he wants NCTA students to move beyond cliques, beyond the subtle animosity he senses between the majors on campus. "I'm trying to show you guys you need to care about each other," Mestas said.

He continued, "Yes, some of you grow cattle, some grow corn. But the cow eats corn ... the cow gets sick. You're all agriculture. And I want you to realize you are all feeding the world."


Freiboth said they plan another meeting in about a month, to discuss progress and feedback between Mestas and the students.

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  • Unfortunately, the first sentence paints a negative light upon NCTA and what we have to offer. By no means are our students striking against the administration. It was merely a conversational, informational meeting where both questions and concerns were aired by both fronts.

    With that said, the allowance to be transparent with the public with every intent to create progress on campus is very positive.

    I am very proud of the NCTA students who were actively involved in the process from the first meeting with over 100 students, to the one you read about.

    Creating a channel for students to voice their opinions is very important as well as their energy to actually make something happen.

    I encourage everyone to voice their opinions. Our students have and I guarantee that NCTA united can move mountains before individuals with agendas ever consider it.

    -- Posted by BritniFreiboth on Thu, Feb 4, 2010, at 6:30 PM
  • Wow - I am really disappointed. Obviously Dean Mestas needs to engage in serious discussions with students and staff. They seem to have valid issues that need addressed.

    And really? Cowboy hats at graduation just to be "unique". My mortar board represented an important accomplishment/a symbol - even if I did stick it in a drawer.

    -- Posted by Billy Jo on Mon, Feb 22, 2010, at 11:53 AM
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