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* editorial y f r i ci ayf r i d ayf ri d ayf ri d ayf ridayf ri Positive relation the door The following letter was sent to Student Association President Joel Mayersohn: I feel that as more concerned about affirmative action results, UB will soon have the internal impetus to become a model of meaningful opportunities for all people, at all levels on stltutional engagement. Ope Dear Mr. Mayersohn: Our office has seldom received a letter offering assistance or expressing chagrin over the composition of the University’s employee and student populations; therefore, it was encouraging to leam, from yours dated June 15, that you experienced a sense of outrage over affirmative action within the University, in spite of the difficulty 1 had attempting to determine the source of your “observations. While 1 do not know the intentions of the publishers of the Table, “Distribution of SUNYAB Tenured Faculty be Sex and Race Across Faculty Rank and Salary Range, Fall 1978,” found in the June 14 Reporter, to which you referred, it did appear to have the constructive effect of arousing you to air your opinions on affirmative action at UB. \Knock knock.\ \Who's there?\ 'The University-wide study group on Attrition/Retention.\ \Whadayewent?\ I suspect that you would not have taken the pains to contact me and to make your sentiments public had it not been due to a strong belief that affirmative action results can be positively related to the quality of education and service the University offers; consequently, I hope that we can get together to pursue this matter more fully, especially in terms of student involvement and particiaption. To this end I shall be getting in touch with you. Sincerely, \We want to stop the outflux of students from this University. You know, make it a better place to go to school, create a 'sense community' around this place, help keep students here until they've finished their degree requirements ...\ \But that's a problem afflicting higher education across the nation Why do you want to solve it at UB7\ \Good question. You see, UB's budget is based largely on enrollment and we all know that everyone is scampering for enrollees. We have to keep students once they decide to come here, becuase in the future there may be fewer students who want to come here. Futhermore, more and more students -who do come here are interested in majoring in Engineering, Management, and Health Sciences. Thus, if we want to keep other disciplines strong — namely, the Humanities — then we're going to have to retain a higher percentage of students than we do.\ \You mean this is just a cheap ploy to build up certain disciplines that are having trouble attracting majors?\ Jesse E. Nash, Jr. Assistant Vice President for Affirmative Action and Human Resources Development \Nope way off. The 101 recommendations of the Attrition/Retention group are designed to cross all boundaries. Certainly, the effects will be felt by programs that are having trouble attracting students, but the whole idea is to generally improve student life here — a more far-reaching goal. This could mean that many of the students who are jockeying for a few spots in competitive fields might want to stay here anyway, even if they aren't accepted as an accountant or occupational therapist.\ \Okay so I understand that this is a plan designed to have a broad impact, but how are you going to make this University more attractive?\ \Another good question. We propose lotsa different things, ranging from heating bus shelters and building a Student Union on the Amherst Campus, to evaluating the quality of instruction here and making sure that this factor is examined when a faculty member is up for promotion or tenure.\ \This sounds like good stuff, so when are you going to start?\ \Well that's another problem. You see, the committee has proposed 101 ways to make UB better, but we didn't suggest which of those recommendations are more important than the others. In other words, there is no priority ranking. We also didn't establish a timetable for implementation, so it's hard to judge which of the suggestions are practical, which cost lots of money, which ones should be started now and which ones require more planning. We also didn't really figure out a way in which we're going to ally ourselves with all the different campus constituencies — and it's going to take a University-wide effort to improve the University.\ no#s„ mon Guest Opinion ,N05NK>' .NO Plaudits for general education Editor's Note: The author is the Student Association Director of Academic Affairs and a student delegate on the General Education Committee. post-secondary education denounced the University of Buffalo’s ‘free’ educational program, claiming that “catering to individual preferences may result in graduates being illiterate in fields essential for constructive participation in modem life.” The University’s response was the formation of a general education program requiring students to take two courses in each of six knowledge areas. (Adjustments have been made for students in Engineering, Management, and Health Related Fields.) The program also has a thematic component which requires students to address societal and cultural concerns (for example, Order and Disorder in Human Systems, Ethics, and Stigmatized Groups and Individuals). \So why should the University let you in?\ \Well we have good intentions and we propose a lot of creative, intelligent, carefully-considered solutions. In essence, you need us.\ \Okay UB will let you in, but you guys should really reconvene your committee, meet with various constituencies, gather feedback, consolidate your suggestions, prioritize them, and establish a timetable for implementation. Also, wipe your feet.\ by Judiann Carmack A common realm of knowledge does not exist in our modern technological society. The absence of “social and cultural homogeneity,” common discourse, and adequate communication skills (both ■oral and written) has contributed to the fragmentation and impotence of individuals within society today. Current issues, the nuclear mishap at Three Mile Island, the energy resource drain, and the increasing political tensions among developing nations, need “objective” and responsible attention. In our democratic society, an individual bases his decisions, attitudes, and assumptions on the information that is, or is not, available. * * * j * * They're not knocking down the doors to come here and University President Robert L. Ketter knows that. That's why he authorized the Attrition/Retention Study Group and that's why he wants substantive policy more than 101 suggestions. That's why he asked for a \time frame in which various recommenations might be acted upon.\ Without this information, the group's findings and suggestions become useless — they become just another committee's arguable recommendations, bound to wallow outside the University's door. The speed with which these recommenations are acted upon is imperative to their success. The longer they rest on the doormat, the longer the University suffers, and the sooner our attrition figures surge higher and higher. Only the committee can let itself ip,. There was concern within the pre-professional departments that the general education program would inhibit rather than enhance the education of pre-professional students (Engineering, Management, and Health Sciences). These departments regarded the general education program as merely a new distribution requirement that would not lend the anticipated significance and coherence to a student’s educational experience. Adjustments were made within the general education committee permitting stildents within these fields to take fewer courses, placing a greater emphasis on the thematic component of the program. Presently, the General Education Committee, under the chairmanship of Dr. Peter Hare, is in the planning stage of the program — which is due to be implemented in the Fall of 1980. Sub-committees have been working on varjous components of the program: Basic Skills (Mathematics and Composition), Themes, Criteria for the acceptance of general education courses, and alternative programs. Three undergraduate students have been working on various sub-committees along with faculty members and administrators. Although this academic program does not directly affect the students presently attending the University, students should be sensitive to the objectives of a general education. Specialization in education - primarily concerned with the further application of knowledge - has produced an “educated” public that is unable to integrate or perceive the relationship between ideas; science has become (Jistipct and; isolated from the arts. , ' t . 1 J '! 1 'T 1 ■> I M ) HI J I nv* f ( The Spectrum The complexity of society and the expansion of knowledge necessitates specialization in education but also requires the development of independent, critical thought. A well-rounded, coherent, general education program, accompanied with concentration in a particular field, enhances an individual’s scope and range of knowledge, fostering observational and analytic skills. Vol. 30, No. 5 Friday, 6 July 1979 Editor-In-Chief Daniel S. Parker “When general education languished and died it was lately because the ‘commonality’ of radical individualism offered a more powerful and accurate image of the times ..wrote two UB faculty members. In 1969, the University of Buffalo modified its educational program in response to the societal demand for relevance in the University’s curriculum. Managing Editor Joyce H owe Managing Editor McDonough Joel DiMarco Mark Meltzer Bonnie Gould Buddy Korotkin . . Brian £araher . . .Dennis Goris Jon-Michael Glionna Business Manager Bill Finkelstein Associative . Campus . . . Contributing News Photo Sports . .Elena Cacavas Jim DiVincenzo David Davidson Copy . Graphics Feature . Prodigal Sun Music . . Arts . . . Ross Chapman . . Tim Switala . . Ralph Allen The faculty felt that, as consumers of education, students should be able to pursue their chosen field of study, in-depth, without having to take prescribed courses or programs' that did not pertain to their particular field of interest. Distribution requirements were relaxed and students were only required to take six to eight courses outside their major knowledge area. Ten years later, with formation of the General Education Committee, the University of Buffalo is undergoing a major academic reform in its educational philosophy. A 1976 Regents Statewide Plan on The Spectrum is served by College Press Service, Field Newspaper Syndicate, Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Collegiate Headlines Service and Pacific News Service. The Spectrum is represented for national advertising by Communications and Advertising Services to Students, Inc. “If a society and its'institutions, especially its educational institutions, preach about democracy as a philosophy to the exclusion of implementing it as a technique, then its young are easy marks for any dictator who sets his sights upon them and manipulates them.” Such is the warning from Principles and Values in School and Society. If “educated” persons are unable to integrate their knowledge among various knowledge areas, reliance upon an individual who can is inevitable. Circulation average: 10,000 The Spectrum offices are located in 355 Squire Hall, State University of New York at Buffalo, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, New York 14214. Telephone: (716) 831-5455, editorial; (716) 831-5410, business. Editorial policy is determined by the Editor-in-Chief. Republication of any matter herein without the express consent of the Editor-in-Chief is strictly forbidden.
