Thursday, October 31, 1968
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
7
CIB provides path to student power in college
Students who have been claiming that they have no representation in University affairs may have overlooked one of the most powerful organizations on campus, the College Intermediary Board (CIB).
Gary McClelland, Topeka senior and chairman of the board, said that the purpose of the board is to serve as a forum for students to comment on academic affairs of the college.
"We evaluate things as they are at present, then we discuss how they could be improved," said Lou Abernathy, Topeka senior and member of the board.
This year, the board has been discussing various aspects of the college programs. "We've been talking about the functions of the departments, introductory courses, graduate teaching and inter-university exchanges," said Miss Abernathy.
However, students don't use the board to its full advantage. "Seldom do students come up on their own to tell us their opinions," said McClelland.
Also this year, the board is working on interdisciplinary courses, or courses which could be set up between departments.
The board is set up mainly as an evaluation group, designed to research problems within the college and make suggestions to the administration.
"Each member of the faculty is attached to a particular department because the department pays his salary, so there haven't been courses set up between departments, and no provisions have been made for courses which are not in a particular department," said Miss Abernathy.
Independent study helps KU students
Several KU seniors have found an escape from classroom lectures and the tedium that accompanies them.
The Independent Study Program provides this escape and with it a chance for the student to structure a program of his own.
The program allows students to read at their own speed while under the supervision of a faculty advisor.
"We are not limited by a standard formal outline. Meetings with our professor are unstructured—we just explore interesting points found in our readings," Hannan Bell, Prairie Village senior and participant in the program, said.
The program was initiated several years ago and has been gaining strength ever since. Several departments are beginning to develop their own programs.
Deviating somewhat from the original idea of individual study, several seniors decided to study the "Interrelationship of Arts," and occasionally meet together with a faculty member.
Two channels are open for individual study. Students may either enroll in a course in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS 90), or they may take a directed readings course offered by the department of their major. However, seniors are limited in the number of such courses in which they may enroll.
However, the group found difficulty in budgeting their time and the general organization was weak, Bell said. The program was abandoned and concentration was placed on individual study.
Commenting on the future for independent study, Bell said that as more students become acquainted with the program it will broaden.
After studying a problem, the group reaches a consensus for action, said McClelland.
Then they form a subcommittee to write a letter presenting their ideas to George Waggoner, dean of the college of liberal arts and sciences.
"The letter is written mainly to stimulate interest in the problem," said McClelland. The letter may then be considered by the Educational Policies Committee.
In the past, the board has presented such ideas as the colleges-within-the-college, the revision of the English program and the pass-fail system.
The board has been established for 11 years. This year there are 11 members, the adviser and Aldon Bell, assistant dean of the college.
the members are: McClelland, chairman; John Coyle, Coffeyville senior and vice-chairman; Miss Abernathy; Hannan Bell, Prairie Village senior; John Berthrong, Norman, Okaa, klaker; Joe Goering, Mound-Abraham, Otawa senior; Beth Lindquist, Wichita junior; Bill Nye, Leeward junior; Chris Saricks, Lawrence senior and Mark Scott, Topeka junior.
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