University Daily Kansan
Friday, September 17, 1971
5
two and
the
The
Town
the year-
than year-
oughtly,
oughtly.
id use
id use
your you.
s, or
s, or
se off
se off
b end of
b end of
son is son
son is he
he is his
out some
out some
live by
live by
distance
leak up
ecificity
osis in
of 300
ROTOC
xis and
would
that, at my there
was the high probability that other students and faculty members and administrators would deescalate the situation, and at the same time, a high probability that they would buy browsers, so they could be arrested for the crime of destroying campus property, that would be my preferred strategy, and was. The point at which I think any university administrator, or teacher, must draw the line is, of course, danger to life and limb, don't it think it would be tolerable, in any one's mind, especially of all mine, to allow such a situation to develop that might endanger the lives of students, but usually comes in terms of what degree of property damage, which ranges all the way from painting signs which are inexpensive to blast off, to the kinds of property damage involved in the Union or the bombing of Summerfield.
Slaughter: Let's move to something a little less grim. We find the University now in a money crisis. If someone were to hand you a cashier's check for a million dollars, we'd go to one department at the University, where would you send that check?
Chalmers: Oh, boy. Can be used for any purpose, though?
Slaughter: Well, I would be more specific. If I were to work with students at the University, where would it go?
Chalmers; I still want to know, is it still unrestricted as terms of its use?
Chalmers: Yes.
Chalmers: It could be used to build a million dollar building?
Slaughter: Sure.
Chalmers: There are several ways of approaching that. One of the obvious—most obvious—is that the College of Arts and Sciences accounts for 70 per cent of all our students and instructional programs, but we would not restrain, I would say that would be the response. We have our priorities in terms of types of expenditures, but not in terms of differential schools and colleges. In part, because the support of the schools and colleges is provided by the numbers and levels of students they serve. To give a million dollars to a program that involves only a few students, and there are other programs that are trying to meet the needs of many students, would be difficult. But the challenge is question in terms of the quality of one operation versus another, with the desire to support quality programs, I can respond that we have, and do continue to provide, differential support even when you eliminate the question of the need for such programs. I doubt that anyone would disagree that our School of Pharmacy perhaps enjoys a better ratio of faculty to students than, say, the School of Journalism. Also, it can be clearly stated that our School of Pharmacy is considered to be one of the best schools of pharmacy in the country through the fact that it enjoyed some kind of equal support over the years.
Slaughter: Let's turn, now, to athletics for a second. How do you perceive the role of athletics in a liberal arts and sciences university?
Chalmers: Let me say first that I think there are advantages to intercollegiate athletics to a university. Some of them are purely psychological, the advantages of having rallying points. Whether they're directly related or not, I don't know. The research mission of the campus. I doubt that anyone would contest the rallying around last year's basketball team was anything but beneficial to the tone of the
campus. In fact, there are some that have suggested we had a tremendously fine spring, in contrast to a year earlier, because of the fine basketball team. I feel very strongly. Tom, that is one of my favorite people, be totally self-supporting. I know a lot of people will verbalize that elsewhere on campuses in the country. I've had enough other experiences away from the university to be able to how to accept this, and I am pleased to be able to say that it is literally true at K.U. I think the big complaint that can be leveled against intercollegiate athletes is when they draw resources from the university, or from the University. You hear the argument that athletic preparation spends "x" millions of dollars when we desperately need millions of dollars on the campus. The fact of the matter is, when you pay $1 million for all of that "$x" millions of dollars disappears.
'I am determined, though, to call for an evaluation of my performance in this office . . .'
--the entertainment and recreation that they prefer. It's an imposed fee on all students in order that some students might join the social groups that they are interested in, but most students so that some students might support certain social action projects or charities. In the larger society around us, all of these events are handled by ticket prices, subscription prices, by charity programs, dues, or by charitable donations.
Slaughter: I've got a question to further pin this down. Under what circumstances would you favor this Underground organization? A participation in major intercollege activities?
Chalmers: One circumstance, and one alone. Where it looked as though it could not continue to do so without drawing upon dollars that were intended for the support of the academic program. At that time, I was about to mention the fact that this should not occur. This is the point at which several of your private institutions dropped intercollegiate athletics all the way back to the University of Chicago's move. As a result, there were many other institutions are at, and have been at, for quite some time.
Chalmers: Yes, decidedly so. I can cite you any number of instances of bequests, for example, that throughout the lifetime of the alumnus, the domain of your college exclusively to the Century Club. But the bequest, which in quite a few instances was substantial, was made out to scholarships, was made out to endowed shares, or was made out to unrestricted shares, did not lack for instances of all at this.
Slaughter: Does the athletic program at the University support the academic area of the University as far as the alumni are concerned?
Slaughter: What do you see as the future of the student government system?
Chalmer: Of course, it's my hope that student government, by virtue of some adaptation on the student activity fee, will begin to spend more of its time with reference to program and policy, and less of its time hassling with the activity fee and the allocations thereof. I have a feeling that, if and when that day arrives, students will achieve its best impact or stature on the University campus.
Slaughter: Are you in favor, or what is
the answer to the question of the
University academic process?
Chalmers: Tom, this is a vestigial remnant of in loco parentis. It has virtually no connotations about the student. The compulsory fee that all students pay in order that some students might enjoy
Slaughter: How do you perceive your relations now with the black students on campus? In perspective, with your role with black students a year ago;
Chalmers: Much better. Since a year ago was shortly after the demands and confrontations in the stadium. I think that, in part, because my perception of the problems that black students, or for that matter, white students, from inner city churches and schools goals and objectives have changed. In the former instance, I would have to acknowledge that I'm much more sensitive to the fact that you simply can't plug all students into the same academic program at the beginning of freshman year and say, "Look, we do need this possible." You have to do other things as well. And, ultimately, it fits my earlier concern that we begin to share a whole variety of educational life styles to meet the needs of a great variety of students. I think their perceptions have changed in the sense that they are much more interested in our conversations, of the necessity to validate what they are doing, and what they hope to do, with reference to the varieties of areas within the University. For example, the use of the book rebate, Student Senate allocations, or for that matter, endowment monies that help students realize the benefits they've taken a much more realistic attitude toward this. It's no longer, "You owe us this sum of money and you don't have the right to ask us what we're doing with it." It now, "This has been helpful, and this is the best way we can insure the growth of this interest on the part of the University." This is, as far as I concerned, a very healthy transition.
Slaughter: Last year, I think, I talked with you once and you gave me the impression you felt as though you and the impression were being treated unfairly by the orps.
Chairmen? You'll be happy to know that at my request, the University Relations sampled the independent press of Kansas on a number of days chosen at random last year and a variety of papers, large metropolitan papers and small rural ones. They determined objectively that the amount of space devoted to the University exceeded the achievements of students and faculty at the University exceeded the amount devoted to what could be called troubles or negative coverage of the University.
Slaughter: Two more questions. One is broad and I hope it won't be too difficult to answer. In academic area do you feel that the University is the strongest?
Chalmers: That's tough. Because we really do have tremendous strength in a variety of areas and I don't know that I can put them in anything except alphabetical order, and I can't put them in alphabetical order because I won't think of them way. I've commented about the School of Pharmacy as an instrument to help me with Kormer report which gives us a much better and less subjective, less biased estimate, has in this last go around included all but three of the arts and
sciences and among those, several in the very highest of ratings. Entomology, is an example. It also includes two of the three most important instruments that are eligible for ratings here.
Slaughter: Perhaps it would be easier to say what academic area do you feel is the weakest?
Slaughter: One more question. in your first convocation address you said you would impose upon yourself a five year period of self-evaluation. What could either push that period forward, or past, the same point, or have you thought about that?
Chalmers: That's hard. There are several that I think will be able to develop much stronger programs if we can get more resources to them than they have at the moment. I think, for example, some areas of our School of Education want to move into a posture that 'less related to what is being taught' and doing by way of preparing elementary and secondary teachers, and more into the basic research on graduate programs on how to enhance the learning of subject matters at various levels. I think the School of Journalism's interest and thrust to relate to law and social science, capitalize on the fact that these areas are available for a relationship will represent a strengthening there. The Law-school of business relationship is clearly something we can do that many other law schools can't do. Where else? Law schools? Are there areas which are young and unnoted we hope will grow rapidly. The department of public practice, for example, with which is in keeping with the greater, far larger, interest of physicians that will look forward to work in the rural areas or in the inner city area rather than the professional areas specialized surgeons. I'm missing some professional schools, not intentionally. Engineering feels that its programs would be considerably enhanced if we could ever get to the point where we could provide the instructional equipment that is necessary and for which the state and we University have never been really able to provide a 'teal of money'.
Chalmers: Not much. Nothing could push it past the five year period. I think it absolutely essential in terms of the rate of change of institutions of higher education that such an event occur in a maximum of five year intervals. What would bring it closer would be some evidence or some concern on the part of one or more of the constituents of the University that made the race imprisoned enough for changes that were needed.
Slaughter: What I'm saying is, are you going to quit in five years or after this finish?
Chalmers: No, not necessarily. I am determined, though, to call for an evaluation of my performance in this office as constituents of the University community even if that would be taken directly to the Board of Regents, just as a search committee worked directly with the Board of Regents in selecting me. That's the result of such an inquiry would be constructively critical in terms of things that could be improved where I was directly related and involved. I hope also that there weren't so many of these as to suggest that University would be served by secretive staff.
Slaughter: Do you have any sort of concluding statement?
Chalmersts. Yes. How is the UDK going to use all of this?
OPEN 1618 W.
10 am to 2 am Mon-Sat 23rd Street
10 am to 11 pm Sun
DON PREDICTS KU 28—BAYLOR 13
SPECIAL DOUBLE BILL LATE SHOW
"...The Mix makes Curious Yellow look pale!"
2ND BIG FEATURE
SAT. NIGHT ONLY II
Gates Open 12:00
AN EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE IN WANTON FEMICIDE!
NO REFUNDS
ID'S REQUIRED
Sunset
LIVE IN THEATRE · West on Highway 40
Patronize Kansan Advertisers
"A spellbinders
-FORREST SOMER'S Redbook
"Dazzling!"
-DAVID MAYNARD
Eve. 7:30 & 9:30
Matinee Sat & Sun 2:30
NOW!
"AN EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT"
—The Village Voice
"A ROMANTIC FILM!" New York Times
The Bull & Boar
Open Sundays
12 noon-8:00 p.m.
11 W. 9th
R
from Warren Bros.
Albany Lending Service
In everyone's life there's a SUMMER OF'42
DIRECT FROM DENMARK
A sex film of the stronger kind
goes as a powerful narrative.
BACKSTAGE
mass of female nudity and
infinity
bold and intrepid film...
high-powered lesbian drawn.
CINEMA, London
NO UNDER 18
I.D.'s REQUIRED
Mael: 2:30
Eve: 7:35, 9:20
Varsity
TABLET - telephone 1-765
Hillcrest
COULD IT HAPPEN?!
Eve. 7:25 & 9:20
Matinee Sat-Sun. 2:10
Adult 1.50
ROBERT FAIR PRODUCTIONS
THE ANDROMEDA
STRAIN
Eve. 7:15 & 9:40
Matinee Sat-Sun. 2:00
Adult 1.50 Child. 75
Hillcrest
NOT THAT IT MATTERS, BUT WE'RE JUST AS FUNNY
AS THEY SAY. WE ARE.
PAUL NEWMAN
ROBERT REDFORD KATHARINE ROSS
BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID*
Eve, 7:35 & 9:45
Matinee Sat-Sun, 2:05
Hillcrest
Allen Funt
His first Candid Camera feature film.
"What Do You Say to a Naked Lady?"
PLUS
THRU SAT.
Kelly's Heroes They had a message for the Army: "Up the brass!" PLUS
THROU SAT.
LADY - DUSK
STORY - 9:55
Sunset
ON LUNDAYS AT 10:30 AM
ON HIGHWAY 672