So, let’s talk about the PE requirement. As a senior, graduating in the spring, I like many was extremely disappointed in hearing that faculty voted against reducing/getting rid of the PE requirement at Dickinson. Fortunately, I planned to have my credits done in case this did not go through. But so many seniors are now scrambling to get their credits done before graduation. Before attacking faculty for the way they voted, I thought I would give my reasons for reducing/getting rid of the requirement.
- We are not in high school anymore- We are grown adults who should learn to make decisions ourselves, without having a million requirements set over us. Requiring someone to workout, especially when there are options such as Badminton, are not enough to get people to work out properly or even enough as they should. Honestly, it deters many from wanting to work out, because it is associated with a requirement our transcripts do not benefit from.
- Scheduling PE is awful- Every PE class except for fitness classes, or hiking tend to be during prime class hours. Having a 4 credit PE requirement means two full semesters of courses one may not be able to take because they conflict with class schedules. (I thought this would be enough to encourage faculty to get rid of the requirement) There have been so many instances where I have wanted to take a class, but they are only offered MWF, 9:30:10-20am or 10:30-11:20am, or TTH class where PE is also the same hour and fifteen minutes long, to only find out I either have all my classes scheduled at this time, so I cannot complete a PE credit or I have to drop a class to fulfill the credit. In my opinion, four credits is just too much.
- Coaches have to take the time out of their schedule to coach PE- Many coaches, though try to make PE not the worst thing ever, rarely care whether students are putting effort in or not, because honestly what college coach thinks they are going to be watching college students complete PE credits? Imagine, if coaches had more time during their day to focus on coaching and creating plans for their athletes instead of having mornings or afternoons taken out of their schedule to make sure everyone is participating in PE.
- Forcing students to complete this many PE credits does not mean the faculty and administration is allowed to feel like they have contributed in preventing individuals from falling into obesity (since obesity levels are so high in the US)- It takes education, nutritional practice and exercise to be a healthy person. Requiring students to fulfill a PE credit, does not prevent them from either becoming obese or encourage them to further workout nor teach them how to eat healthy and live healthy lives. Instead, it teaches many how to do the bare minimum to pass what is considered a workout.
Though I am still unsure of exactly why the majority of the faculty voted the way they did, I wonder whether these thoughts were considered during their discussion? Does the PE credit not affect students more so than faculty and if so, shouldn’t students’ voices and vote be considered more so than faculty’s vote? Was faculty completely aware of what this vote entailed and what impact it would have on the student-body?