THE MICHIGAN DAILY
EMU Begins 'Self-Study' Review
By MARILYN KORAL
Eastern Michigan University
ill be engaged in a "self-study"
dis year aimed at pinpointing
urces of "low faculty morale and
Iministrative problems" cited in
report by the North Central As-
ciation of Colleges and Second-
ry Schools last spring.
The NCA study was requested byj
ze state Board of Education in
muary after they claimed to
ave received reports of serious
roblems in EMU administration-
culty relations.
Subsequent to releasing the re'-
>rt, the board dismissed Easterif
residbnt Eugene B. Elliott, effec-
ie June, 1964. At that time
oard President Chris Magnusson
aid EMU required "a more vig-
rous and dynamic leadership"
ian Elliott had provided. "What
astern needs now is a younger,
lore aggressive, more forward-
oking individual," Magnusson
Key Points
in the NCA
vere:
ipal adnini's-
dinate to the
Most of tnea
tive officers
As Cultural
Clearinghouse
The International Student As-
sociation "serves not as a place
of cultural 'isolation, but as 'a
meeting ground, a clearing house
of all cultures," ISA President
Isaac Adelemo, '64, explained.
The Association holds social
functions, publishes a newsletter
and sponsors panel discussions
aimed at increasing contact not
only between foreign and Ameri-
can students, but among foreign
students themselves.
The group has approximately
500. members-60 per cent foreign
students, 40 per cent American.
It is divided into several corn-
mittees-cultural, social, sport and
publicity being the major ones.
The, association sponsors thea
Monte Carlo Ball and with the
Union and the nationality, clubs
the World's Fair.
It holds panel discussions and
noon sessions on various cultural
subjects. The association also
publishes a newsletter, the Inter-
national Student.
This fall's plans include draw-
ing up a new constitution and
setting up international work-
shops in cooperation with the
United States National Student
Association and Student Govern-
ment Council.
president are fairly new to their I
posts and, in general, came with
little experience in academic ad-
iinistration . . . Their previous
backgrounds and experiences were1
not in the areas for which they
assumed responsibility."
Elliott had given much of the 7
actual running of EMU over to
three younger vice-presidents. But
they, lacked "adequate sensitivity
to the present feelings of faculty
and of subordinate officers of ad-
ministration. They took action
without proper attention to public
relations aspects, arousing the
public, alumni and students." '
Faculty members were sensitive
about "excessive domination by
administrative officers." Elliott
created an elected faculty council
when he took office,- but it be-
came an "administrative impedi-
ment," and was abolished in 1954.
The abolition became "unques-
tionably a- severe blow to faculty
morale."
State board members were "oft-
en preoccupied" with administra-
tive details and failed to- develop
a set of policies for the guidance
of university administrators.
The Legislature failed to "pro-
vide adequately for - the financial.
needs of the university either for
operation or for the development!
of the physical plant needs."
While them'e was a faculty salary
schedule," it was not met and re-
sentment was created.
Five major recomnendations,
were listed 'by the NCA in their
report. The recorhmendations in-
volved the State Board as well as
EMU. They were: .
1) The State Board should de-
fine major policies for guidance of
Eastern Michigan and the other
three universities under its juris-
diction.. (The other three are
Northern, Central and - Western
Michigan Universities.)
2) The State Board should - es-
tablish clear channels of com-
munication with faculty members
at EMU, defining the role of the
administration in relation to them.
3) The place -of EMU should be
clarified within the "system" of
public education as a guide for
.
Voice Plans
Fall Ret reat
Voice campus political party is
planning a retreat at Fresh Air
Camp Sept. 13-15.
The sessions will feature dis-
cussions and analysis of current
political, economic and social
problems' by local -Voice leaders
and national officials of Students
for a Democratic Society.
the school's development in future'
years.
4) The EMU administration
should work out a clear policy re-
garding faculty personnel employ-
ment, 'tenure, promotion and re-,
tirement, and make it :available
in published form.
5) The NCA should make an
"accrediting visit" to EMU in late
1964, after the school spends a,
year in "full self-study."
The Faculty Council at Eastern
has acted on the NCA recommen-
dations in suggesting recently that
specific steps be taken to insure
channels of faculty communica-
tion with the Board and faculty
involvement in the "self-study"
this year.
Prof. Edward Potter, vice-chair-
man of the Faculty Council, said
that the Board has suggested EMU
might utilize "outside consultants"
in their self-study. A recently re-
leased faculty report is intended
"to put the council on record as
opposing the Board's idea," Prof.
Potter explained.
The council plans to set up six
faculty committees to study and
find solutions for the problems
plaguing Eastern. The committees
will be on administrative problems,
faculty affairs, instructional prob-
lems, special projects, Board in
Control of Athletics, and student.
and public relations.
Communication Procedure
The Faculty Council also sug-
gested a procedure for communi-
cation between faculty, Elliott,
and the Board.
Council recommendations, the
report suggests, should be submit-
ted to i Elliott for approval, and
then to the Board. If Elliott does
not approve recommendations,
they should then be returned to
the council, after which 1 they
would be submitted directly to the
Board.
The faculty report further
states, "We believe the adminis-
tration of Eastern has been remiss
in' many ways, but,- we do not be-
lieve the NCA report provides suf-
ficient ground for wholesale dis-
.missal of administrators.
"We believe that sudden and
drastic changes in the adminis-
tration at this time would only
intensify the problems and inter-
fere with the effective functioning
of the university during the period
of transition to governance by a
new board."
In explaining this part of the
report, Prof. Potter said, "the pub-
lic press has made the council
aware that there are possibilities
for further removals beyond that
of President Elliott."
Prof. Potter also commented
that the Board had suggested the
possibility of bringing in outside
consultants to help choose Elliott's
replacement.
The report stated, "We believe
that no groups outside the univer-
sity should participate in this
process. We believe that the work
of screening and recommending
candidates for the university pres-
idency trust be done by the facul-
ty because the faculty is the best
possible judge of the necessary
qualifications for the office and of
the competence of the candidates."
Faculty will be working with El-
liott at least until next June. Un-
der - the new constitution, the
Board will be dissolved and re-
placed in January by separate
governing boards for each state
university.
- There has been speculation that
a governing board more sympa-
thetic to Elliott might rescind his
previous dismissal. Elliott is a Re-
publican and, until this summer
with the election of James F.
O'Neill, the board was completely
Democratic. Prior to Elliott's dis-
missal the Faculty Council issued
a protest charging that the Board
"was using a college presidency as
a political berth." At that time
the Council fully supported Elliott.
MIusical Society
Seeks Ushers
Students interested in usher-
ing for University Musical Society
concerts should apply 5-6 p.m.
today through Saturday and Sept.
3 and 4 at the Hill Aud. box
Ioffice, the society announced.
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