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University Dauy Kansan Wednesday. March 15. 1961
NORWEGIAN STUDENT—Ann Pettersen, Oslo, Norway, special student, discusses the University of Kansas and the University of Norway with Karen Kirk, Hutchinson junior.
Oslo Student Compares Scholastic Freedoms
Students at the University of Norway have more individual scholastic freedom than the average University of Kansas student, according to Ann Pettersen, Oslo, Norway, special student.
Miss Pettersen, who is attending KU on the Fulbright program, said students at the University of Norway are not required to attend any lectures and have no written homework. She said the student may choose and attend any lecture he thinks will fit his own plan of study and may "cut when he feels like it."
"The whole way of student life is different," she said. "The student at Oslo plans his own studies and uses the university as long as he sees fit."
English, science and language are the only subjects that are offered at the University of Norway. The Norwegian student takes each of these subjects three semesters and then he takes a comprehensive final over the three semesters' work in each subject.
After passing the final, the Norwegian student then may choose one as a major subject that will be studied an additional three semesters.
Miss Pettersen said, "One might argue that the University of Norway stifles a liberal education, yet there is a much greater variety of ideas expressed there than you find here. The student has the advantage of attending optional political debates, cultural meetings and participating in open discussions."
Miss Pettersen said the Norwegian high schools, in contrast, offer no choice of subjects. She said, "One can choose an emphasis but the courses are mapped out for the student. He is required to take math, science, English, Latin and Norwegian."
Gold Rush in London
Gold Rush in London
The gold rush is on in London shops. Retailers feature the golden en looking fabrics in straight skirts with jersey tops for the cocktail hour, gold sheath dresses for the theater or dining out, and for every type of accessory.
Miss Pettersen said the Norwegian high schools are also "more far-reaching" than those in the United States. "After attending a Norwegian high school one can be placed as a junior in the United States colleges," she said.
Miss Pettersen said that, although she felt that the Norwegian school system was superior to that of the United States, she had learned a great deal about the American people and the English language at KU. She said she thought her year at KU would be both a "memorable and worthwhile experience."
OU Formal Rush Week Ban Prompts Regent Effigy Burning
By Sue Thieman
Six days ago the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents agreed to officially abolish formal rush week at OU. The agreement was reached without consulting any of the OU sororities or fraternities.
Today, the OU fraternities and sororities are appealing to their national chapters for intervention before the ruling becomes official at an April meeting of the regents.
Five days ago more than 250 students burned a member of the Board of Regents in effigy on the lawn of the OU president's residence.
DR. CROSS, OU president, said in the formal announcement that the regents and members of the university administration felt that by banning rush week the educational purposes of the university could be strengthened.
Letters to the "Oklahoma Daily," student newspaper, expressed shock at the suddenness of the decision and at the apparent lack of consultation with the OU Greeks. Several letter-writers predicted the downfall of the Greek system at OU because of the loss of revenue from future freshman pledges.
He said, "Under the program which we have used until this time, the freshman student is given the idea that the university puts more emphasis on social activities than on academic achievements.
Fraternity and sorority members replied that both financial and scholastic disadvantages would result from the new system.
INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL President Jerry Tubb said many of the national leaders and presidents of sororities and fraternities favor pre-school rush because "it does not interfere with scholarship and
activities after school has begun."
Several letters compared the "party on the president's lawn" to a dramatic production. One OU student wrote, "The climax to the production came in the third act when Dr. Cross himself came on stage and told the 'teeming masses' that it was cold and he wanted to go to bed and why didn't they do likewise." The student commented. "It (the suggestion) seemed to work. Apparently no one had thought of it before."
THE REVENUE from freshman pledges will be gone. Ray H. Hall, Oklahoma Daily news editor, said in an editorial, "Any alternative rush system will spell financial doom for most sororities and fraternities. Without this income many groups will not be able to meet current debts, much less attempt to pay for new houses."
A substitute for the scholastic and social orientation the freshman receives when he pledges will have to be established. One letter said, "In the Greek houses freshmen learn what is expected from them; new students and future leaders of the campus learn effective study habits early; unaware as they are, the freshmen get an idea of the traditions and the expectations of the U of O."
THE HOUSING of the additional freshmen cannot be ignored by the university administration.
HUMOR in the "production" certainly was not lacking. When Dr. Cross appeared at the steps of his home after consulting with Greek representatives for more than an hour, one student yelled, "He did it. He pledged."
Despite the humor of the demonstration, OU Greeks are confronted with a serious problem: how to readjust to a new pledging system.
ALTHOUGH KU provides for freshman housing and the Greeks have oriented themselves to the lack of first semester pledge revenue, problems still exist in the KU rush system.
Although the University of Kansas has "solved" the questions raised by the OU students, many problems still exist here. Low house quotas and the inevitable disappointment many girls face after going through rush still plague the KU rush system. The falacies of the KU fraternity social probation and punishment method are being discussed at the Interfraternity Council meetings.
WHAT IS the solution?
"Garden parties on the president's lawn" certainly cannot solve the problem. Burning the Board of Regents in effigy won't work. Only serious and mature studies and comparisons of rush systems, their advantages and disadvantages, and presentation of arguments buttressed by facts and research can solve the problems facing the KU rush system.
KU has retained the formal rush week but has a one semester rush deferment. Formal rushing at KU is not permitted during the semester. This perhaps could be established at OU and mitigate the OU Greeks' arguments against the increased financial and time burdens of rushing throughout the year.
ORIENTATION of freshmen by freshman hall counselors is the plan devised by KU to substitute for the orientation the freshmen would receive in the Greek houses. The effectiveness of this system is still a matter for argument.