The Issue: Rikki Schlott’s piece on why fewer young people consider college a necessary experience.
Hooray for Rikki Schlott (“Smart Hire is the ‘Drop’ of the Class,” March 11).
She showed good analytical skill in taking a leave of absence instead of paying full tuition for a Zoom education (whi♛ch also strikeไs me as rather outrageous).
Aside from 𓃲the personal-interest aspect of this story, there are important issues raised here. First, there appears to be questionable value from a four-year college ꦚdegree in many admirable lines of work, particularly if the student has been a solid achiever in high school or possibly junior college.
Second, the benefit to many students (and society overall) of financing highe🔥r education by taking on a mountain o🅰f debt that tends to weigh upon them for decades is often dubious.
Mark Riely
Manhattan
We do need affordab🐓lᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚe colleges, and colleges shouldn’t indoctrinate.
But in general a college degree — especially in the liberal arts — is not about specific job qualifications. It is about providing a schema of knowledge for further learning. It is about critical thinking — looking at the pros and cons and forming a wise an𒁃d informed opinion. It’s about gettin๊g a bigger picture of the world.
All this enhances one’s judgemen▨t and allows for better decision-making, especially where people are concerned.
Katherine Meeks
Manhattan
I identified with Schlott, alt🅠hough I’m a Baby Boomer, not a Gen Zer.
I was an executive in a major international♈ cosmetics company in my early 30s witho🌳ut a college degree.
After a year at Hunter College and two years on a scholarship at Brooklyn Museum Art School (no longer in existen🌞ce), I lived the “hippie” life in New York City, spent a year each in Brazil and Kenya and came๊ back to New York.
I was ꧙smart, hard-working and a people person (still am, I like to think). Through networking, I made my way up the ladder without anyone ever questioning my credentials.
Carol Puttre-Czyz
Manhattan
Seems like Schlott is a free-thi✅nker and a top student. Good for her.
Her decision to 🦄exit NYU is indicative of the devaluation of the bachelor’s degree.
Today, the degree is unlikely to reflect intellectual rigor or job aptitude bec♋ause grades have been inflated. Also, course content, especially in social sciences, has bee꧃n diminished by political claptrap that makes no one smarter or more worthy of a job.
Rich Klitzberg
Princeton, NJ
The Issue: Mayor Adams naming former NYPD deputy chief Juanita Holmes probation commissioner.
NYPD deputy chief and head of the department’s training, Juanita Holmes, invited a convicted criminal to entertain at a Police Academy function without consulting her boss, Commissioner Keechant Sewell. (“Eric slides commish’s chief rival to new gig,” March 11).
She also lowered 🎀the physical fitness requirements for recruits without the proper approval.
Then along co𝔉mes Mayor Fancy-pants to reward the defiant ex-chief with a position as the city’s probation🤪 commissioner. That’s a peculiar way to “get stuff done.”
Joe Schulok
The Bronx
Adams let Holmes undermine Sewel🐽l’s leadཧership at the NYPD.
He allowed her to have a temper t♈antrum if she did not have her way.
Having a former stripper and criminal speak to young girls was a disgrace. She should have been fir🧜ed for her antics.
So long, Juanita. You lost your command. The entire city knows who got the last ✱laugh — Commissioner Sewell.
Mike Lapinga
Staten Island
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