Dear ‘Mutant’ columnist,
In your article ("‘Mutant’ columnist gives advice" by Marla Buchanan, Feb. 1, 2001) you indicated that you hoped to "inspire or compel the reader to lose control." I want to inform you that you have inspired me to write my first letter to a newspaper, and apparently, you have accomplished your job.
I was wondering why, when writing for the Apache, you would inform students only of (writing resource) options that cost money. Students have enough hidden costs and extra expenses that are not included with the basic cost of college and should not be advised to purchase additional resource materials as their only option when other options exist.
Some of the best information truly is free. Here at IVCC, students have a wealth of information at their fingertips waiting to be accessed. For instance, not only the college library, but also libraries throughout the Illinois Valley, are very well endowed and are maintained by extremely professional and polite individuals willing to help.
Another resource is the English faculty members on campus. They all have a passion for this subject. They will not write your paper for you, but I am willing to bet that if you ask any one of those instructors if they could help you or steer you in the right direction, they would be more than happy to do so.
Another resource is the Reading, Writing and Study Skills Laboratory in B-201. Did you know that a free service provided by the Reading Lab is critiquing of not only English papers, but papers for other subjects as well?
Even though you provided good information to the reader, I feel that you fell short of providing complete information. Students need to be informed of the services provided here on campus as well. You stated, "Nothing and nobody is sacred." This does include you.
Steve Bubb