A sense of chaos pervades this time every semester, as students busy themselves in anticipation of upcoming papers, finals, graduations and summer plans. But this semester, unlike others, has had its own set of challenges.
As a nation, we have undergone another war and await its long-term consequences. In the Bay Area, we have been hit by a sagging economy.
As a college, we’ve experienced major cutbacks to our departments due to a budget crisis. We have also, suddenly and tragically, lost a member of the Mills faculty.
By all accounts, it has not been an especially smooth ride this time around. But we must remember to celebrate our accomplishments as students, as a college and members of a larger community. To the graduating seniors, we give you a warm and proud send-off.
We wish you nothing but success as you venture into the world after accomplishing your bachelor degrees at Mills. To those who remain, another semester awaits us with new challenges and new goals.
As graduation and the summer looms near, we can look back and see that despite numerous dramatic changes endured at Mills, we are a close-knit community that shows solidarity in the face of budget cuts and war.
Many Mills women took a stand against Bush and demonstrated opposition to the war by participating in protests across the bay, and in some circumstances, getting arrested while exercising civil disobedience.
We have also shown solidarity organizing and demanding our administration to own up to their decision regarding budget cuts-our voice was one to be reckoned with.
College is like a roller coaster-there are ups and there are downs; there is uncertainty with every turn, and with every sharp turn your change falls out and then you might get sick. But one thing remains true, the ride will come to an end and we will be able to say, “I survived Mills. It will definitely be an experience I will never forget.”
