Seventy-Fifth Year'
EDrrEDAND MANAGEDBY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSTY OFMICHIGA
UNDER AUTHORITY Of BOAttD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT P ucAmroms
Opnons A.Fme,- 420 MAYNARD ST., An ARBoxr, MicH.
ith WM m r&U
NEWS PHONE: 764-0352
Editorials printed in The 'Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.
AY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1964
NIGHT EDITOR: MICHAEL SATTINGER
Baby Boom Threatens
University's Functions
Each Time I Chanced To See Franklin D.
Student Affairs: The Past Sugests the Future
by H. Neil Berkson '
EPTEMBER 30, 1961. The Daily headline: "BACON At the same time, lines of authority which were extra-curricular life - both are essential to personal
QUITS POST." "... I personally am not in tune with vague and often undefined prior to the reorganization development.
some of the changes which seem inevitable in the years now run straight through to the vice-president. THE NEXT OSA vice-president could play a major
ahead."TH NETOAvc-rsdncolply mar
But more important than the- structural changes role in both enunciating the values of extra-curricular
In a single fragment from her letter of resignation, has been the change in attitude toward students. Dean life and creating more meaningful programs than now
former Dean of Women Deborah Bacon still teaching Bacon personified a stifling paternalistic atmosphere, exist. It is vital that he have a strong academic back-
in the English department, provided a preview of coming an atmosphere which recognized neither the growing ground in order to emphasize the link of the OSA to
later, a group of faculty, students and administrators sophistication of students nor some of their basic rights the classroom.
were to declare in the now-famous Reed Report:"...the as human beings. Sine her departure the Naturally,"he should have some administrative ex-
time is right for a reformulation and explanation of .system has been cleaned up, women's hours have been perience. And unless he also has a commitment to stu-
the University's policy and an improvement in its ad- liberalized and senior women have received apartment dent responsibility, he will negate the work that has been
ministrative arrangements in student affairs." and key permission across the board. Moreover students done over the last two years.
Now the University's first and only vice-president who et i trouble al Or imagined-r o o But the OSA primarily needs a depth and sense of
for student affairs, James A. Lewis, has announced his subjected to the criminal treatment they were once purpose that only a faculty man can bring to it.,If it'is
own esigatin afer ten ear on he ob. e wll lave likely to. receive. Vice-President Lewis will leave his suc- puosthtnlafclymncnbrgtot.Iits
own resignation after .ten years on the job. He will leave. cessor a better OSA than existed ten years ago. to remain merely a service organization, it doesn't re-
as soon as a successor is named. The qualifications of cquire a vice-president.
that successor are important, but they can be considered BUT SO FAR the OSA has done very little in the'
only in the context of where the OSA stands today., area of student activities, and it is this area to which the
next vice-president must turn. and the odds are that President Hatcher will name a
THE / REED REPORT sparked both a. structural successor within two or three months. The new man
reorganization of the OSA and a dramatic change in The increased academic pressures of the University' will most likely come from within the University. Rumors
philosophy. The deans of men and women-with parallel have, in the past five years especially, hurt student activ- have already enveloped such people as Associate -Dean
responsibilities-were eliminated in favor of a functional ities. This problem . reaches extremes when academic James -Robertson of the literary college, Associate Dean
arrangement. Thus one housing office now takes care- counselors caution against extra-classroom life, advising Charles Lehmann of the education school and Prof.
or doesn't take care, if you wish-of both men and students to move through the University as quickly as Richard Cutler of the psychology department. Any of the
;women; there is one counseling office, one scholarship possible and to worry only about grades. Forgotten is three, or anyone who matches their qualifications, would
office, one activities office, the substantive relationship between curricular and be excellent for the OSA.
JUDGING FROM ,the current expansion
of undergraduate education to accom-
modate the "baby boom," the University
has accepted 'respotisibility for helping to
educate this adolescent horde. With the
present acceptance and future planning
of such swelling enrollments, University
officials 'are seriously miscalculating the
- proper role of this institution in "Michi-
gan's system of higher education.
'The main force behind the University's
acquiescence has been the Legislature's
misunderstanding of the University's pru-
cial role in Michigan's educational proc-
esses. The legislators, being over sensitive
to public sentiment, have decided that
Johnny must have a college education as a
matter of unswervable middle class course.
This is fine until they start insisting
that the University provide that educa-
ton. with no questions asked. The Uni-
versity has a definite right to ask ques-
tions in order to discriminate among those
who seek college education simply as
training for an acceptable job and those
who have the intellectual capacity and
desire to take advantage of all that the
University has to, offer them in the way
of intellectual stimulation and advanced
study.
IT COMES BACK to the fact that a rou-
tine undergraduate education is no
longer enough for today's leaders. Only
the University can provide the extensive
and expensive training needed for scien-
tists who work at the frontiers of knowl-
edge, for social scientists laboring to un-
derstand a few of society's myriad prob-
lems, for professional ;men who have so
much to learn in their rapidly changing
fields and for well-trained teachers and
professors who can carry on the edu-
eating process. These teachers and pro-
fessors are needed both within the Uni-
versity and other schools and colleges of
the state that are directly confronted
with the baby boom.
Here is a crucial point for the budget-
minded legislators. It is the University
that is best equipped to supply the rest'of
the state's higher education institutions
with the people holding advanced degrees
who are necessary if those institutions
are to do 'a good job. But if theUniver-
sity 'itself is swamped in trying to take
care of too many students, this source is
cut off at the roots.
AT MUST BE DONE, then, is to lim-
ft, notgraduate and professional
training, but undergraduate enrollment
levels. This is pecessary, not to get rid of
undergraduate education, but to preserve
it in some meaningful and useful form.
Four years of undergraduate study at the
University is becoming increasingly stand
ardl/ed, dehumanized and, pressurized in
response to simple demands of number.'
As this process continues, the graduates
become increasirigly indistinguishable
from their small state college counter-
parts as well as less and less able and
prepared to undertake advanced study.
The University is perfectly capable of
providing an undergraduate education
second to none. Those lucky enough to
talk with ,professors genuinely interested
in undergraduate education and to par-
ticipate In their courses realize this. How-
ever, such education can't be provided for
the swollen enrollments being anticipated
and couldn't be even with greatly ex-
panded funds.
But to pursue a course where under-
graduate enrollment is limited to those
most able to benefit on both an under-
graduate, and graduate level would be to
untie the whole of the University in a con-'
certed effort to meet the numerous prob-
lems of today's world in an efficient way.
SEVERAL POINTS need special empha-
sis.First, the University has some of
the finest facilities and faculty for grad-
uate study in the Midwest, and ranks
very high nationally in this respect. Sec-
ond, undergraduate education ought to
be considered as a preliminary part of
the process that ends with the advanced
degree; it should not be considered a
separate adjunct or a pedagogical exer-
cise in turning out technicians. Third,
there is no need for the University even
to try to handle ever-increasing under-
4."r ilt. f e +f.-
graduate enrollments. There is plenty of
educational opportunity at every level
available elsewhere in the state.
There is no purpose to waging a losing
numbers battle with other state institu-
tions. Nor is there any reason for playing
constant guessing games with the Legis-
lature as to enrollment size, outstate stu-
dent numbers and funds deserved there-
by. A clear statement of goals and inten-
tions is needed. The University does not
need to be a glorified high school. At one
time the Legislature generously supported
the concept of high quality higher educa-
tion, and there is no reason to sacrifice
such a principle now, when it is needed
more than ever.'
Neither is there any excuse for trying
to please the Legislature with large num-
bers on one hand and hoping to give
these numbers a quality education on the
other, as University officials are appar-
ently trying to do.
THE UNIVERSITY'S greatness and im-
portance rests ultimately with its abil-
ity to produce state and national lead-
ers in science, engineering, the profes-
sions, politics, business and academics.
Any concern for lesser goals is misguided.
With so many products of the nationa.,l
college education mania pounding on the
admissions doors, such concerns threaten
these basic strengths.
THE CONCEPT of mass education can-
not be accommodated to concepts of
individual instruction, seminar type dis-
cussions and individual study and re-
search that need such large investments
in both faculty and facilities. These in-
dividual concepts and approaches have
been preserved, eve reinforced, in the
University's graduate programs. They are
rapidly deteriorating -in its undergradu-
ate education..
The University of California admits no
one from high school except those in the
top one-eighth of their classes. All others
must seek their higher education in the
numerous smaller colleges and junior
colleges. Those that show promise there
may readily go on to greater things.
LEGISLATORS and University officials
need to acknowledge, and act on the
wisdom of that approach.
-ROBERT JOHNSTON
Keep Smling
THE OPENING WEEK of classes was dis-
aster week for the administration.
The first problem was the .flood of ex-
tra freshmen who jammed the dormitor-
ies. The administrators shuttled them
into rooms already' being used, and then
slightly lowered the rents for those in
the crowded rooms.
Then they ,faced the problem of furni-
ture for the extra residents. The Uni-
' versity diverted shipments of 150 beds
from other schools-which open later and
thus have time to reorder-and gave the
beds to freshmen who otherwise would
have been sleeping on floors.
They then tried to get desks and chests
of drawers for the new students. But the
administrators discovered to their morti-
fication that the plant producing these
items for the University has been struck
by its employes They're still wrestling
with this.
THE SECOND MAIN problem they ran
into was loans. The University was
forced to dip into emergency funds to
supply money for scores of federal stu-
dent loans. Congress hasl passed the bill
authorizing the funds but neglected to
pass the bill appropriating them. The
bill is still stalled. If by some chance'
Congress does not pass the appropria-
tion, the University could be in trouble;
since it is already thousands of dollars
over its head in backing up the loans.
The administrators' third problem was
the bomb that exploded early . Friday
morning in front of South Quad, blowing
out eight dining room windows. They
have joined with city police in watching
and listening for clues to who set it off.
ONE ADMINISTRATOR was reported
near tears the other day. Another re-
fers to himself as "a bundle of frustra-
tions." Maybe these two are already, an-
"You Think. There's Any. Chance We'll Be Displaced?"
,y~I~ j br~rA
EUROPEAN COMMENTARY:
Cri-tcize U.S. Activ
in* Vietnamese Con f ict
b.
By ERIC KELLER-
Daily Correspondent
"I'M MORE interested in what
happens in Washington than
in 'the Hague."
This comment is becoming more
and more typical of the senti-
ments expressed in Holland today.--
And this attitude was again evi-
dent during the recent North Viet
Nam crisis.
People in this country and, in
fact, throughout Europe' discussed
our retaliatory measures in South
East Asia as fervently as if their,
own country had led the action.
The German, English and Italian
governments, for example, immne-
diately' declared their support of
the United States action-repre-
sentative enough, for by far most
Europeans supported t h e U.S.
stand.
HOWEVER, S e n a to r Morse's
position would have found much
more support on this- continent
than it probably, did in the United
States. Many people 'here feel
that President Johnson reacted so
strongly because of domestic poli-
ticking.
It is believed that the United
States would have been more in-n
clined to sit around a conference
table if Senator Goldwater had
hot been pressing for a more "de-
termined" U.S. policy in SouthW
East Asia.
The most criticism is leveled at
the fact that American forces are
situated in an area 'so far away.
from home. Malicious agressive
aims are suspected due to'the
United, States presence-suspic-
ions that appear' even more justi-
fied by Senator Goldwater's advo-
cation of a tougher foreign policy.,
OPA
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THE ACADEMIC DILEMMA:
Good Teachers or Publishing Scholars
These groups, many of which
have leftist tendencies, see less
danger for world peace in 'Red
China's years of guerilla warfare
tthan in the United. States' one
retaliatory action -against North
Viet Nam.
* * *
THERE ARE also many people
who see nothing wrong with Red
Chinese expansion, easoning that
China -has a "human right"' to' ask
for richer farming areas in the
South, since for centuries China'
soil'haas not been Able to 'produce'
sufficient food. China has, ac-
cording to them, more'right to ex-
pand in Asia than the 'United
States has to set up military bases
in that area.
Much of this reasoning, is of
course, based on the unfortunate
experience of European countries
ir South East Asia. Especially in
Holland, the Indonesian adven-'
ture is still a very fresh memory.
The French pull-out from for-
mer Indochina a n d England's
probable departure from' Malaysia
all confirm to many European ob-
servers that the only reasonable
policy for any Western country is
to pull-out 'completely from South
East Asia.
A victory against guerilla war-
fare seems impossible;,Andl be-
sides, it is not their wish that the
United States take over all the re-
sponsibilities of vanquished Euro-
pean powe rs-even if 'the, official-
governments feel differently.
AS FOR retaliatory action, it is
clear, one is even tempted to say
natural, that many" more Euro-
peans, thanAmericans are jumpy
about direct military involvement.
The -unpublicized truti about
public opinion in'this .country is
that now, thirty years later, peo-
ple are willing to accept scores of
defeats again just as easily, as-
easily as they did in the Thirties
in order to "preserve the peace".
Just as, France' 'did not' wine
when Germany, invaded Polandf,
'due to an attitude of "I don't care
about what happens so far away',
many people now do not ,care
enough a b o u t the freedom of
South East Asia to. favor a de-
cisive policy. What they do care
about is their own peace and an
appeasement policy.
* * 4.'
, IN A CAREFUL evaluation of
European reaction to the recent
South East Asian developments,
one should not forget that many
of these outcries are s i m p liy
"American-baiting". In m a n y
European countries,, indeed' all
over the world, America-baiting is
a favorite answer to all world
problems which involve the Unit-
ed States.
For example, it was wrong that
Roosevelt gave away Eastern Eur-
ope to Russia after World War IL,
The United, States did not lend a,
hand in the Hungarian crisis. The
United States d i d everything
wrong in the Suez crisis and in
the Congo, not to speak. of the'.
Cuban-invasion or th e recent
touch-off in Brazil. Incoherent
and illogical, perhaps, but never-
,theless barely extinguishable.
* * *
BUT, despite this, after innum-
erable conversations with Euro-
peans about United States foreign
policy, I am convinced of the
rightness of a "speak softly but
carry a big stick" policy. The
stick has grown and so have Unit-.
ed States responsibilities. But
neither responsibility nor angry
outcries should k e e p us from
carrying the stick. And we ought
too stop worrying about European'
panickers, but s t a r t speaking
softly.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Last spring
Tufts University became an object
of controversy when it refused to
renew thecontract of Prof. Wood-
row Wilson Sayre due to his avowed
preference for teaching as opposed
to research or writing. The so-
called "publish or perish!" issue
has been haunting many institu-
tions, including this one, for some
time. Below, via Collegiate P'ress
Service, are''some of Prof.'Sayre's
remarks on the subject.
By WOODROW WILSON SAYRE
MEDFORD, Mass.-Members of
the Tufts administration ar-
gue that the ideal faculty member
is the individual who is both a
good teacher and a publishing
scholar.
They go on to say rewards in
the form of promotions, salary in-
creases; and tenure will go, where
possible, to those who satisfy both
requirements.
In other words, if you are
merely a good teacher you will
probably not be promoted,, you
will not be given tenure, and you
will most likely get only minimuml
raises. By a hard-to-follow, logic,
this is not called a policy of "pub-
lish or perish," although for the
teacher who is let go because of
it, it is going to seem a pretty
close fascimile.
* * *
BUT LEAVING semantics aside:
what assumptions underlie this
policy? It assumes that effective
teaching is good, that scholarly
publication is good, and that the
two combined are even better.
I have no quarrel with the first
assumption. It is the common
sense view of most people that the
may even gradually throttle any.
interest.
* * *
AT THE MINIMUM, research
represents a confining interest
with the teacher's interest in the
"whole" student. Many students
have rightfully complained, I
think, about this situation. They
and their parents are paying thou-
sands of dollars for an education.
Haven't they the right to expect
that the main focus of the fac-
ulty will be the growth and de-
velopment of the student; rather
than the advancement of the fac-
ulty member through publication?
Of course all publication does
not conflict with one's teaching
duties. In a graduate school espe-
cially they may reinforce each
other. But all too often they do
not reinforce each other.
In some fields the intensity of
specialization required practical-
ly precludes it from being relevant
to the general undergiaduate
courses being taught.
,It may be argued that publica-
tion may help the student indi-
rectly by improving the duality
of the professor's teaching. This
brings up the next'question.
* * *
DOES SCHOLARLY publication
benefit the teacher? Certainly it
enhanices his reputation, but does
it improve his teaching? More un-
supported generalizations have'
been advanced on this question
than on almost any other.
Some argue, as in a recent ar-
ticle in the Boston Globe, that
it is extremely rare to have a
first-rate teacher. that is also
doubtful they would have been
any worse if they 'had not pub-
lished. I know some teachers feel
that their ideas are sharpened and
clarified by the necessity of pub-
lishing. Others find publishing'
a distraction from the business of,
teaching. A vast mass of material
must be mastered, much of it of
little significance. And, then there
is all the time and energy wasted
in trying to get someone actually
to publish the result.
I think an important distinc-
tion must be made. Good teach-
ing does involve keeping up with
one's field. To reread and rethink
old material is essential..
This kind of scholarship, yes!
But that such research and exalu-
ation should necessarily lead to
publication has not at all been
demonstrated.
DOES SCHOLARLY publication
benefit any other groups? In the
academic community today a col-
lege gains status by the publics-,
tions of its faculty members. I
would guess that a hundred fac-
ulty members who have publish-
ed would add 'more prestige to an
institution that if those hundred
faculty members were simply good
teachers.
But surely it is actual excellence
of teaching and scholarship
(whether or not resulting in pub-
ication) with which a university
should be concerned and not the
opinion of others.'
Does scholarly publication bene-
fit humanity? Much that has been
published has had tremendopssig-
nificance for the whole human
the experiment has, already been
done..
Practically, what does this do to
the idea of every experiment and
publication adding to the sum to-
tal of human knowledge?
I WILL END with a brief con-
sideration of the third assump-
tion, namely that the combina-
tion of effective teaching and
scholarly publication is better than
either alone. Actually I think that'
such an ideal if adhered to .will
.result in a rather bland medioc-
rity. You will t4nd to get teach-
ers who are fair at writing and
fair at teaching, but who are not
particularly outstanding at eith-
er. By insisting that every teach-
er to the degree possible be com-
petent in two arts (the art of
teaching and the art of writing
and publishing) you are likely
immediately to 'lose those who are
outstanding in only one of these
arts. Can education stand such au
policy?
I think a university needs all
types. It needs great researchers
even if they can't teach.. And it
needs gifted teachers, even if they,
can't write. It is reasonable to bal-
ance the different types through-
out the faculty as a 'whole. But
the point .is that if this is -done,
then no single teacher should be
rejected merely on the ground
that be has not demonstrated both
talents.
* *. *
A GENERAL POLICY of insist-
ing on both teaching and publi-
cation then is a policy that in
fact will encourage mediocrity.
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