@Gator88NE
Nice xmas ornaments… 
@zobroward excellent advice for Liberty University and Bob Jones U also
I doubt that’s the factor considering the fact that unless one’s politically outspoken relatives are never around during the student’s early childhood years, the student concerned likely has already had more than enough exposure to his/her opinions so it’s no longer novel or “different” to that student.
I’m also of the view the placemats may be an attempt by some activist students and student organizations with support from some admins as a way to provide the student with an easily rehearsed response to get the politically outspoken relatives to realize they cannot assume unanimous support of their opinions by family silence or efforts to “nod and wave”.
Something to think about…such placemats may not have been made if there wasn’t some sort of implicit demand on such objects by some students in order to have an easy “cheat sheet” to put such relatives on notice that they can’t assume unanimous support for their outspoken political opinions or at least to get them to observe the holiday/dining etiquette rule that divisive topics such as religion and politics in mixed* company aren’t to be brought up at the dinner table as it isn’t the proper time nor the place.
Only exception in practice in some households i know of is if the politically outspoken relative breaches that rule and thus, opens him/herself up to political rebuttals from other family members and guests and ends up having the onus of how the occasion negatively turns out squarely focused on him/her for breaching that rule in the first place.
Incidentally, this is also one reason why politically outspoken folks I know of, regardless of political persuasion, who cannot put politics aside in families/parties/social occasions where this dining etiquette rule is in effect usually find they aren’t invited back or even told pointedly by the hosts and his/her close friends that they are no longer welcome to attend future events.
- Religiously, politically, or if the religion/politics of a new guest is unknown.
I’ve read nothing that’s implied student involvement with the placemat “initiative”. The “credit” for this idea falls completing to the administration.
Do students really sit around and think, “If I only had something I could bring to our “holiday” dinner, such as a placemat that listed all of my points, I could really crush that raving right winger head case, Uncle Gator! I’m sure Mom wouldn’t care if I swamped out her placemats with mine!”
Gosh, I would hope “some” students would not have gone had-in-hand to the big (parent ?) Uni to give them canned responses to be able to have an intelligent discussion with ‘outspoken relatives.’ And if they did, the parents of those students should demand their money back!
I miss the good ol days when colleges just badgered parents w propaganda for Annual Fund donations.
While off-topic, I personally wish educational institutions waited until the student concerned is about to graduate* or has become an alum BEFORE sending out solicitations for donations to colleges.
Doing it while the student is a long way off from graduation is a bit much…especially considering FA/scholarship students and their families don’t have the funds to contribute yet and students/families who are full-pay aren’t likely to be receptive considering the massive checks they’re writing to the college for tuition and fees unless they’re so loaded that 60-70k+/year is like dropping a few nickels or even pennies to them.
- A week or two at most before the commencement exercises.
It’s never too early to start soliciting for donations! One must start a tradition of “giving”, early, if we want to maximum Alumni support!!! >:/
Edit: That and placemats…don’t forget placemats…
“scipio, they should also hopefully have their own opinion not one handed down from harvard aka big brother”
They DO have their own opinions. As I said: “Harvard students in general are some of people LEAST likely to need any kind of help or coaching on how to form a relevant opinion…”
I find the whole placemat thing a rather baffling waste of money and effort.
Well, so do I but it’s obvious that someone in the administration at Harvard thought this was a really good idea.
That should be enough to give anyone pause.
Someone posted this on the Harvard forum. it is a really intelligent letter from students on the Council expressing dismay at these placemats:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/notable-quotable-harvard-1450481604
Couldn’t read the WSJ article because of the paywall, but found an excerpt on The Daily Beast.
“We reject the premise that there is a ‘right’ way to answer the questions posed. We do not think the offices of the university should be in the business of disseminating ‘approved’ positions on complex and divisive political issues. Prescribing party-line talking points stands in stark contrast to the College’s mission of fostering intellectual, social, and personal growth.”
It does make one wonder with all the talk of “safe spaces” whether there are any for those deemed to be “privileged” I am glad these students called them out on it.
From the article-
“It is embarrassing for Harvard administrators, especially ones at the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, that students needed to point out that they were restricting rather than promoting diversity on campus.”
Interesting that these administrators are so sheltered from anyone who does not agree with them that they believe those who do not must just be ignorant. Controversial issues are controversial because reasonable people disagree.
You can bypass the WSJ paywall by Googling the title of the WSJ article, then clicking on the Google link.
The Harvard Republican Club did its own placemat in response.–The Holiday Placemat for Common Sense.
Points on how to talk to Harvard administrators.
Would love to see it. Unless this is very good humor on your part, gouf78.
all you have to do is check where the political donations go to see that most of these schools lack any substantial diversity.
http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/students-need-education-not-indoctrination/17749#.Vnqj-lkjBE_
Harvey Silverglate on the Freshman Dean’s Office:
It was unsurprising to me to discover that this placemat scheme was, in part, sponsored by the freshman dean’s office, which has previously (and continuously) treated its students as impressionable children, requiring training in political and social attitudes. In 2012, the dean of freshmen, Thomas Dingman, attempted to coerce first-year undergraduates into signing a ‘kindness oath’ that would be posted in the lobby of every freshman dormitory, affirming their belief that ‘the exercise of kindness holds a place on a par with intellectual attainment’. Dingman unexpectedly faced push-back from students and faculty, and some unwelcome, unkind publicity. He backed down and resolved instead to deal with kindness at the tendentious orientation sessions held each year for incoming freshmen – a non-public forum protected against the watchful eyes of upperclassmen, the undergraduate council, the news media, and, for that matter, alumni and donors.
The mission creep of the freshman dean’s office’s programming, however, now threatens the legitimate educational mission of the entire undergraduate college, as the students seem to understand better than the administration. And that office, now joined by the newly created and Orwellian-named Harvard College office for equity, diversity and inclusion that signed the placemat, makes the threat especially potent, since ‘diversity’ seems now to be defined as students who look different but think the same.
^^let’s be clear, however, someone higher up the food chain keeps hiring these folks to be Frosh Dean…let’s put the blame squarely where it belongs: on the hiring authority who is choosing (carefully?). They get what they are seeking.
Maybe a random selection out of the Boston Yellow pages would have more common sense. 
@coupmom that last phrase pretty much sums up the recent college campus protest scene “Diversity seems now to be defined as students who look different but think the same.”
compmom–just google Harvard Republican Holiday Placemat----several stories about it.