The Europeian University remains dormant, the educational institution seems resilient to restructuring of any sort. The University has been dark since late October when the dean, Huxwells Shaw, resigned after three months at the helm. The criticism of University reforms and the decline in attendance wears on anyone in that position. Universities in other regional forums fail lacking long-term student interest. Universities call for the consistent participation, impassioned students and even more passionate teachers. Universities are beacons for education relating to humanities, sciences, and culture. Sure, some classes seem peculiar; roleplaying, cooking, and the history of Finland… but that is what is great about Universities; they learn. Growing knowledge, lively debate and critical thinking flower from within these hubs and loss of such places should not go unmarked.
My time in the University archives took me from one side of the argument to the other; dumping the entire University into the archives for historical and research purposes, ridding away of the entire entity all together, and reviving the University. Reviving the University argument always precedes ways for that to happen- “could with the right reforms have a proper University worthy of showing off and inviting others. I find no reason why we can't: Archive all classes. Make a council of three deans to work on the Univ of Europeia. Make three classes with each dean. Create a probationary period in which without enough people. we would close it. Each professor hoping to teach has to give a syllabus and at least one lesson plan to one of the deans (to ensure preparation).” Citizens have held the belief that the University serves a greater purpose standing rather than abolishing it (which it was in 2009: Repeal the University Act then placed under the Ministry of Culture by Executive Order 89). “The University is a part of our history and culture,” says future (at the time) President Anumia. There are no locks on the archives which is a reason why some citizens want to keep it, “The university is great, I wouldn't think of abolishing it. When I first arrived, I checked the place out, […] and learned a lot of Europeian history,” says a former student. The revivalists may not make up a significant number of our region’s population but they bring innovative ideas and passion for the University not seen in their opposition.
The naysayers lack the optimism that proponents for revival have in spades- maybe for good reason. An opposing view is found with the author of Repeal the University Act, “So because it's part of our history we can't archive it? There have been tons of archived things that are ‘part of our history.’ I am absolutely dumbfounded on why you want to keep such a waste of space.” The project lacks optimism, when accounting for other regions in NationStates there is an outspoken awareness that such programs never work- perhaps this is the greatest source of our failure, “It would be easy to say this is due to a university never working in NationStates, but I think the negative hyping is an important factor in this as well. I fear it was a project bound to fail in this regard.”
The University system falls short in every region that tries to house one, “Universities in NationStates […] fail in almost every incarnation because they rely on a system that can't balance itself. […] everything falls on the institution (deans, professors, etc.); there's no way to keep student attendance up or motivate students to do things like "homework" (or something similar).” The University works but not without the necessary component of people willing to make it work, “I think history has pretty well proven that a consistently active, self-sustaining participatory model doesn't really work, especially nowadays when the board is basically a ghost town (compared to Back In The Day when there were more people willing to invest in that sorta thing).” Perhaps it is time to realize that the University is not a failing model but we’re failing at sustaining a well-working machine. It is not just us, though, so we need to hang our heads in disappointment- the world stands with us. There is no reason for believing we cannot undertake the restructuring of this grand house of intellect- the first step is ridding away with the pessimistic status quo that plagues past debates on reform. It is too easy saying this will never work so we might as well give up. Finding sustainable solutions is the key.
Self-sustainability- meaning able to continue without outside assistance- this word overshadows all ideas for reviving the institution. Reviving and reforming find themselves in discussion ad nauseam, they become buzz words that people can either crowd around or oppose- what does not find itself in many solutions is a self-sustaining system that is in good hands when predecessors step down, “The straight class system does not work. I'm going to say that, it's going to be a point of contention, and I'm still going to be right. At the end of the day, people don't want to be forced into doing things for an RP University. People won't keep up with assignments in the long run. How do I know this? Because over the two years and seven months I've been here I've seen person after person attempt to jump start the University. Putting more and more energy into a failed system will get you nowhere. That's like jump starting a car with no wheels…. Here's the thing about any long-term cultural project: it has to be self-sustainable. You won't always be here, neither will I, neither will Vinage, neither will Swak. Or at least that's what we assume when making policy.
“There will come a point where someone else has to run the University, and you have to ask yourself not only ‘can I make this work?’ but also ‘can anyone operate within this format?’. I believe with this intensive class regiment you have a real issue with the latter question. HEM did an excellent job recently of offering a lot of classes, but as soon as his interest waned due to lack of students the University went back to inactivity. We can't keep swinging the pendulum so wildly, we can find a happy medium…. I very much object to the idea that losing the extremely rigid class structure we have now means losing what makes the University a University. I have never seen a region with a truly successful and sustainable University, and there's a reason for that. When you run it with the mentality that anything but the RL ideal of a University is wrong, you will fail because that format just doesn't work here. That's the fatal flaw in your entire piece. […] it's all tainted by the idea that our University has to have course offerings and semesters and assignments and due dates and exams and all of those things that are hallmarks of all of our college experiences. It doesn't have to be like that, and history not only of Europeia but of all regions says that it should not be like that. We need to think outside of the box and define a University by what works rather than define what works as a University.” This rebuttal stuck out, this is the kind of idea we can get behind- Europeia University acting how a university on a forum would. Due dates, exams, and assignments- they make college life what it is but if we want our University to survive it must adapt to our system. We do not have the basis for a Real Life University, we have a basis for something different, something better, “The best you can hope for from a university is for the institution to act as both knowledge repository and open forum discussion platform.”
If we, Europeia, want a University that works: as a guide for newcomers or an open symposium for debate than we must reach a consensus whether to go forward or let it pass into the annals of our history. If we continue this blithe attitude toward our University nothing will happen- the administration does not bother with this problem. The University's existence may serve a purpose but this reporter cannot find one other than that it creates a schism among the people: for and against. If we as a region cannot decide on the future of this establishment than what can we do? We cannot let this moment pass, if no concrete solutions occur than it opens the floor for continued frustration. The University has, and always will be, a wonderful concept- the constant opening of doors for the mind to wonder and wander- with any luck archiving the University will not impede dynamic discussion from other mediums. No matter where a citizen stands, we must not forget, we are not other regions. We are Europeia, a region priding itself on vast accomplishments- big and small. Saying it never works is copping out of putting time and work into structuring a program that works.
