1952
In 1952, a Phi Beta Kappa Alumni praised a Hill News editorial condemning the lowered scholarship requirement for fraternities. The letter argued that academics should remain the focus of college life, emphasizing that “classroom, library, and laboratory” work should come first. The writer urged students to aim for the highest ideals, concluding with, “hitch your wagon to a star, not to the underside of a snake.”
1969
In 1969, student Larry Berent criticized the administration for delaying progress on student governance and policies like the Visiting Hours program. While students and faculty worked toward a more cooperative system, Berent called out the administration for its foot-dragging and inconsistent actions. He urged them to embrace student responsibility now, warning that without immediate change, the new system would be undermined and seen as tokenism.
1988
In a 1988 letter, Dr. Vincent J. Knapp, a SUNY Potsdam history professor, corrected a claim from a student published the previous week that alcohol has always been part of history. He explained that widespread alcohol use only began after the 18th-century agricultural revolution. Ironically, an ad for Ye Olde Liquors, a local liquor store, appeared directly below his letter, adding a humorous twist