Editorials
Adviser Role Unclear
Editor's Note—This is the second in a series of articles discussing the problems of students and advisers in the present guidance system.
Students enter KU from a variety of educational backgrounds. All graduates from accredited Kansas high schools are accepted for admission to the freshman class. The University must instruct these students at the level they have achieved.
Placement becomes difficult. Ability and intelligence levels, as well as degree of preparation, are hard to determine from high school records alone. This complicates the adviser's role.
The Faculty Handbook, under the section pertaining to advisers, states, "The University's goal is to provide the advice and assistance necessary to insure that the student's schedule advances him toward his educational goal and towards graduation, that it fulfills his personal interests and needs, and that it is consistent with University and faculty regulations." This, then, is what is expected of the adviser.
THE STUDENT HANDBOOK, however, states it another way. The adviser, this handbook says, is to be familiar with all the problems of enrollment, graduation requirements, and class-hour loads.
It also points out one of the most vital problems in the student-adviser relationship. It states, "It's strange, but in some cases, the students who need him most seldom consult their adviser. Your adviser is the first person to whom you should turn with study problems. The 'care and feeding' of an adviser is a delicate art. He wants to help you. Visit him often."
It is true that students often do not take advantage of the opportunity for what is, in some cases, excellent help. It is also true, however, that this help often cannot be gained by talking to an adviser.
Far too often those acting as advisers are not informed on the problems of enrollment, graduation requirements and class-hour loads. If this type of guidance cannot be consistently provided, why have the system at all?
THE COLLEGE CATALOG says the student has the responsibility of electing his courses in conformity with the regulations of the college
faculty. The adviser is only there to be consulted in case of doubt, but students must familiarize themselves with all requirements and regulations. This is not consistent with the rather all-encompassing definition of adviser duties as outlined in the Student Handbook.
The handbook for freshman and sophomore advisers contains information about requirements in the freshman and sophomore years, special services available to students, enrollment procedures, and courses to be taken in these years by students contemplating various majors. Although this information is provided, many advisers only are aware of the requirements in their specific field of study.
This handbook says the adviser's chief function of academic advising is not furnishing information about requirements and class schedules. He is to help the student understand the reasons for the requirements which might help the student to have a more profitable intellectual experience. This is also contradictory to definitions and explanations in the other sources cited.
THE COLLEGE CATALOG'S statement about student responsibility in electing courses and familiarizing himself with requirements does not take the undecided student into consideration. It, in a sense, penalizes him for being slow in choosing his major.
The adviser's handbook, however, is not so dogmatic in its demands on the student. It calls on the adviser to get the student to consider long range goals. This handbook states, "It should be recognized that most freshmen are undecided about their choice of major and the most of those who make an early choice change their objective before they graduate." The adviser should, then, guide students in taking courses that would not make it difficult to change to another field later.
THE ADVISER'S ROLE is ambiguously defined. The student often expects too much or too little. Since he does not know what to expect, he cannot take the full blame. A clear system should be set up informing students and advisers on their respective roles.
Next time—a proposed solution.
The People Say...
For Objectivity
The editors welcome letters of opinion from all Kansas readers. We reserve the right to edit all letters for style, content and unreasonable length. All letters must be signed. Opinions expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors.
Dear Editor:
ALTHOUGH NOT IN THE habit of expressing our views to the public via the "letter-to-the-editor" approach, a situation has arisen in regard to which we must be heard.
A week ago last Thursday the UDK had an "article" concerning the KU Young Americans for Freedom. After two paragraphs of introductory material the article degenerated into a character assassination personally directed at John Sharp, Lawrence senior.
We are not here concerned with defending YAF. Some of us disagree completely with some of its aims.
We are concerned with the UDK's apparent change of policy in regard to objectivity and impartiality. If YAF can be smeared through guilt by association and other propaganda tactics, so can any other organization on the hill. If John Sharp, who is not even a member of KU YAF, can be smeared through out-of-context and imaginary quotes, so can any of us.
ALTHOUGH WE DIFFER on many things, we agree that Mr. Byrd's methods are certainly not designed to win the trust of news sources.
Mr. Byrd seems very disturbed that Mr. Sharp implied he had made a recording of their conversation. If Mr. Byrd had conducted himself in a proper manner why would he object to a recording?
Although we cannot be sure what actually took place during the telephone conversation, two paragraphs in Mr. Byrd's article seem to point out that he is more interested in making news than reporting it. The paragraphs contain statements by a Miss Kathleen Powell, who is described as a former YAF state secretary. It would appear that she may be carrying some sort of grudge against either Mr. Sharp or KU YAF.
A NEWS REPORT is no place to air personal ill feelings. It is no place for a reporter to attack those with whom he disagrees. It is no place to tell one side of a disagreement and leave the other side untold.
It is, however, the place for truth. Not just part of the truth; not just half of the truth; not just most of the truth; but all of the truth
We earnestly hope that the UDK will return to the fair reporting and objectivity that have characterized its previous years.
Sincerelv.
Sincerely,
Richard J. White
Lawrence senior
Byron Miller
Greensburg senior
Charles Calver
Randy Malonee
Olathe freshman
Tom Ward
Concordia senior
Our band tried hard to put on a good show, but with all the attention directed to the boys jumping around and cheering during
Our band made a long bus trip to play at that game, leaving Stillwater at midnight the night before. And we had a long trip back. I traveled with the band to take some photographs.
2 Daily Kansan Thursday, October 28, 1965
OSU Complaint
Dear Editor:
A TIP OF MY HAT to your fine marching band. They did a fine job at the OSU-KU game last Saturday. They were a treat to watch from the press box.
But, what do you call the group of boys who jump around on the spring board in the end zone. I call them rude. They may be a cheering bunch of leaders—but why do they do it when the visiting band is trying to play?
their performance, they couldn't hear the announcer.
Perhaps they can take note of how a crowd should act when they play here.
Yours.
Yours,
Lawrence Gibbs
A&S senior
Oklahoma State University
We Were Thinking...
Do not say things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary.
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
"You Can Go Back To Wherever You Came From"
On the Side
Bachelors Cry Help
WANTED: One good housekeeper for a very dirty bachelor apartment. Hair-raising experiences guaranteed. Must be strong-backed and able to stand psychological shock.
We've had it.
It started three years ago when we were freshmen. Finally, after years of parental control, we escaped—only to find the University practiced "in loco parentis." But it wasn't too bad—male students don't have closing hours. And we came here to learn, learn, learn, and have fun, fun, fun. Dormitory living was rather restrictive.
We decided this year to get an apartment. A plush one. A playboy pad in miniature.
WITH BOTH OF US having full-time jobs on the major newspaper to the east, we decided we could afford the unreasonable rent for one of those thin-walled paradises south of the campus.
Here is our plight and the reasons we need a housekeeper.
All bachelor apartments have wall-to-wall stereo. Of course, we have one, even though it's a short wall. It was fine at first. We didn't mind waking up to the lovely strains of the "Fantasticks" Rape Ballet. But then our Connecticut bachelor roommate get the Beethoven kick.
Schiller's "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is no fun to wake up to with a wall full of woofers and tweeters woofing and tweeting to the best of their ability.
THAT ISN'T SO BAD, but a housekeeper would keep the records out of our bed. We get home late at night and can barely find the damn bed. Records have a penchant to stick into your ribs.
Living in unapproved housing enables us to keep a supply of our favorite beverages on hand. Unfortunately, we still feel we're living in the dorm, and we hide the stuff everywhere. In the oven, under the mattress, in favoris bottles, behind the stove, in the toilet housing. A housekeeper would put the stuff in one place and keep it there.
It does get a little tiresome coming home and finding your roommate previously occupied when you want to discuss the latest issue of the Proustian Quarterly.
OF COURSE, IT MUST be understood that all sorts of platonic relationships develop as a result of meeting your roommate's friend. Sometimes she has friends and all sorts of entangling relationships develop. Our housekeeper could keep the names straight.
But, in spite of all the inconvenience of living off-campus, we wouldn't move into a dorm for anything, not even a master key to GSP. — Eric Johnson, Harry Krause
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