WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1950 THE MICHIGAN DAILY ACAREMIC, VOCATIONAL, EMOTIONAL: Far Eastern Languages Offered 'Referral' (Continued from Page 6) Counsel Service Aids Troubled Students and the chief job of the counselors is approving their elections. PROF. ARTHUR Van Duren, chairman of the academic counse- lors, emphasized the importance of the academic counselor's job. "The vast majority of students know what they want to do, but most of them don't end up by doing it. "The academic counselor has to hit the balance of not discour- aging the student, but at the same time pointing out all the avenues of study open to him."' The academic counselors work in close collaboration with other counseling units on campus, for, as Prof. Van Duren explained, "a student's academic problems are frequently related to other prob- lems, and we can act as a referral agency." The office of the academic counselors is located in Rm. 1210, Angell Hall. WHEN THE STUDENT has completed his sophomore year, his records are transferred to the of- fice of concentration advisers, Rm. 1006 Angell Hall. Like the academic counselors, the major job of the concentra- tion advisers is to help the stu- dent see that the requirements in his field of concentration are filled. However, the advisers do not tell the students what cours- es to elect, Prof. Lionel Laing, chairman of the concentration advisers, emphasized. "It is the responsibility of the student to see that his elections program takes in all the necessary courses." * * * STUDENTS UNCERTAIN of the field in which they would liketto major can get advice and sugges- tions from Prof. Laing. Upon choosing a field of concentration, they make appointments with the advisers in that field. The concentration advising sys- tem is now operating under a new arrangement initiated in, the fall of 1949, whereby all the counselors are located in one office, making the services of each department more easily available to the other departments and to the students. Supplementing the academic counselors is the Bureau of Psy- chological Services, in the old RO- TC Building between the Union and the Administration Building, which aids students in the field of vocational guidance and the eval- uation of special psychological problems. The aim of the Bureau, accord- ing to its director Prof. Edward S. Bordin, is not so much to help the student find "the answer" but to contribute to his educational de- velopment by giving him training in handling his own decisions. * * * STUDENTS ALSO participate in the work of counseling along aca- demic lines. A program of student experts, composed of concentrates in the various fields of the literary college, the business administra- tion school, the education school and the engineering college, is held during the early part of ori- entation week each semester. The program, which empha- sizes course and program con- tent, interest and vocational ob- jectives, helps take the burden off the academic counselors, and gives the students a chance to get some "off the record" tips on various courses and fields. Student experts for the literary college, business administration school and education school will be in session from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 19 and 20 in Rm. 25 Angell Hall. Engineering college experts will meet at the same time on Sept. 20 and 21 in Rm. 348 West Engineering Build- ing. counseling plan, the mental hygi- ene division of the Health Service assists students in an entirely con- fidential, friendly manner, to cor- rect faulty social adjustments, to acquire proper study habits, or to For further information about the mental hygiene division, see the article describing the Health Service, on Page 13. overcome worries over personal and family troubles when such situations are interfering with nor- mal success in their studies. It also deals with nervous, reactions or problems when they occur. With referrals from all counsel- ing units on campus as well as from house directors, deans, phy- sicians, and parents, the mental hygiene division serves any stu- dent in the University who desires assistance. d if u * * n FURTHER supplementing Try FOLLETT'S First USED BOOKS at BARGAIN PRICES they MICHIGAN HOUSE PLAN: Dorms Are 'Home Away from Home' or IT'S A man-sized job to handle the problems and complaints of 500 to 1,200 students who live in a typical dorm, and that's the task of the resident advisers and staff men. They have to discipline the more rambunctious students to maintain order, serve as aca- demic counsellors, guide the house student government to some extent and aid the social and educational programs. , In general, dorm dwellers ap- preciate the active interest taken in them by the residence hall ad- ministrators. * * * BUT A SEGMENT of students, mostly older men residents, seem to resent the guidance supplied by the staff, feeling that they are being treated too immaturely. And there is controversy over the value of having house mo- thers in men's halls, with one group claiming that ,they in- hibit them in general, another countering that their sage ad- vice and "women's touch" makes them welcome in the dorms. If the student isn't satisfied, he has fraternities, sororities, League houses or outside housing to go to. And there is absolutely no in- tention of the dorm system to eventually or at any time to do away with affiliated houses or groups on campus, according to dorm and University officials. In fact, the dorms and affiliates houses are encouraged to work and participate in recreational programs together. * * * ALL THE responsibility for good living does not weigh on the ad- visers. The Michigan Plan calls for give and take by the students living there, in order not to make them transient hotels or mere bar- racks. Any man who comes to a dorm is expected to live as in any fraternal organization, was the view of one resident direc- tor. He can give to the house through its activities, such as athletics, parties or newspapers, or simply by becoming a well-liked member of the group. This definitely adds to house morale. WHAT ABOUT "deadheads" - the completely inactive students? Staff men said "We give them a period of grace, realiz- ing that they may join the group later. But if there are no rea- sons why one can't become ac- tive we feel that he isn't gain- ing by living here, and is sim- ply taking up the space of some- one who would." Students themselves felt this, too. One third-year man said that he felt more responsibility to- wards a group as he lived there longer. INTER-HOUSE competition and champions depend largely on spi- rit, which is gained by everything from house tradition to television. "If a number of men partici- pate in house activities, there is a tendency for the others to do so as well," one man said. SEAFOOD Golden Brown French Fried Shrimp LUNCHES DINNERS G s - : _ . f .. ... ... " And if the group has something in common to begin with, such as being predominately veteran or graduate students, more spirit is usually evidenced. * * * ULTIMATE AIM of the Michi- gan House Plan? To please the students by giving them better living conditions and to take the suggestions that they have to of- fer. Some of the suggestions voiced most loudly were: Less crowding in dorms - "back to normal;" better food; and "more flexible" interpretation of residence hall regulations; all making, officials felt, the Michigan House Plan stronger. F I u SPALDING - WILSON - MacGREGOR I I Ts'er4Ming fotte4hete" 'I UI I