EDITORIAL: A better way to speak your mind

Speaking Across the University is a worthy initiative, but it should not become a graduation requirement. Rhetoric and public speaking is useful in all careers -- not just for politicians. Helping students become better speakers is an academic bonus for Penn students. The Student Committee on Undergraduate Education has set a lofty and worthwhile goal in attempting to spread this program throughout the University. But there seems to be enough initial interest in the program that it could succeed without making it into a new graduation requirement. The speech courses should be optional like the WATU sections attached to large lecture classes. The recitations, however, should not become formal rhetoric classes, but should encourage students to talk more often -- possibly with a larger portion of a grade being allocated to speaking. Classes could also incorporate a final presentation instead of a term paper, or students could prepare a formal debate on the course subject matter. But SATU will not be able to work exactly as WATU does because advising someone on public speaking always needs to be done in person as opposed via e-mail. The SATU program is a valuable initiative that has a promising future in Penn's curriculum. Students should take advantage of this new program since they will be speaking for the rest of their lives.