OPINIONS
Legend's View:
Why so secretive? Vet-tech program dodging questions
Mesa Community College is a public institution and has a responsibility to reach out to its students.
Included in that responsibility is keeping students informed about any event that occurs on campus and of course, the programs that the school offers. MCC receives money not only through tuition payments from students but from tax dollars.MCC is partially publicly funded. Being so, MCC and its faculty should feel free to communicate with the media without any reservations.
The public should know where their money is going, what it is partly being used for and whose hands it is in.
Since late September, the Legend has been trying to get in touch with Jill Sheport, the director of the veterinary technology program at MCC.
The Legend wanted to highlight the vet tech program here on campus and compare it to SCC’s program.
After several unreturned phone calls, Sheport finally responded to the Legend.She was extremely defensive about the program.
She was particularly defensive about the horses that reside on MCC’s campus. Sheport went on to say that she would not agree to an interview until she talked to the editor.
The questions that the reporter wanted to ask were merely intended to find out about the horses. What other kinds of animals does MCC have in its program? Who takes care of them? What is included in the program for students? What are the classes that students can take?
These are harmless questions meant to only highlight and hopefully gain more attention to the program.
After Sheport denied an interview, the Legend contacted Cindy Odgers, the department head for agribusiness, urban horticulture and veterinary technology.After unreturned phone calls, the Legend staff contacted Dean of Instruction Carol Achs, who oversees the vet-tech program. Achs was asked to intervene on the Legend’s behalf with Odgers. The Legend asked Achs why Odgers and Sheport were so unwilling to talk about the program. Was there something to hide? Achs asked Odgers to contact the Legend.
Odgers eventually contacted the faculty adviser of the Legend, leaving a message stating she was concerned about the safety of the horses and she “had the right to reserve not to respond.”
Regarding the safety issue, College Safety has patrols and high-tech cameras that help secure the campus 24 hours a day.
The right not to respond is hers, but someone has to answer queries about a program that uses taxpayer funds in a public institution.
The Legend wanted to find out about a particular program we found interesting. There was no reason to become defensive, unless of course, there is a risk of something becoming news that they would not like to be news.
With the issues that have been printed recently in the Tribune, The Republic, and the Legend, one would think that MCC’s faculty would be more forthcoming.
MCC is under a large microscope because of recent events and needs to take steps to improve its image.
The vet tech and animal health program website has a quote from Sheport that says “get to know us.”
Well, it’s hard to get to know someone and a program if the heads of that program won’t respond; especially when they do not respond to one of mediums made up of students that would like to harmlessly and positively promote their program.