College plans new credit system
By DAN AUSTIN
A new approach to KU's liberal arts curriculum—first suggested by student members of the College Intermediary Board—is slowly moving through faculty and administrative channels to reality.
Tersely labeled "the unit system," this curriculum proposal would abolish the credit hour method of course assignment within the College of Liberal Arts and replace it with units of courses representing four credit hours each.
UNDER THIS system, the student would carry a normal load of four units (15 hours) per semester. To meet his freshmansophomore requirements, the student would need 16 units—to graduate from the College, he would have to complete a total of 32 units (128 hours).
Presently, the system is under review by a subcommittee of the College Educational Policies Committee.
When the subcommittee, chaired by J. E. Fields, professor of political science, reports to the policies committee, that group will discuss the system and vote
to present it to the entire faculty for further discussion and final approval.
Officials say that the proposal, if it encounters no serious opposition, should be ready for faculty vote by late this spring.
PROPONENTS OF the system claim its necessity because of "undesirable diffusion of student efforts" throughout the courses that the majority of students now must take.
They hope that the four unit load would make students and instructors assume that each course be worth "a fourth of the student's time and energy."
One immediate effect of the system say its supporters, would be a reassessment—and reduction—of courses now offered by each College department.
ALDON BELL, Assistant Dean of the College, sees two direct
advantages of the unit system idea.
"It will bring up standards in the College and reduce the number of courses the student must take," Bell says.
He explained that standards would go up not only because students could better concentrate their time on courses, but also because in some instances the scope of those courses would be broadened.
Freshman-Sophomore Requirements
Under the Unit System, Freshman-Sophomore requirements might be stated as follows:
- All students enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are required to successfully complete 16 units, of which 14 must be in the College, before achieving junior status. Additional hours outside of the College may be taken to fulfill general graduation requirements.
The 14 units taken in the College must include:
1. English 1 and 2 (1 unit each) unless proficiency at the English 2 level has been previously demonstrated by advanced placement exam or advanced standing.
2. Foreign language 1 (1 unit) unless the student has had a minimum of two years in a single language in high school or demonstrates proficiency at the foreign language 1 level by a placement exam. efficiency as demonstrated by a placement exam
4. Western Civilization (a one semester 1 unit course) with the examination taken the semester of enrollment in discussion classes.
5. A 1 unit laboratory science course.
6. A unit principal course in each of the following: humanities, natural sciences and mathematics (in addition to the science course used to fulfill the laboratory science requirement), social sciences and speech (if retained it would be revised to fit the unit system).
Bell, who favors the system admits that it does have "complexities."
"THERE ARE problems," he says, "like what to do with laboratory periods in science courses, or what to do with the Western Civilization Program."
Now, most science courses are accompanied by a non-credit laboratory period, while the Western Civilization Program gives only two credit hours yearly for its discussion phase.
Another possible hedge to the College's unit system might be its acceptance by other University schools—some of whose upper-class courses are almost all limited to two or three credit hours.
"IF THE COLLEGE wants it (the system)," says Bell, "then we'll approach the other schools."
Born in a discussion by the College Intermediary Board (CIB) last spring, the unit system took shape after the CIB published a request for consolidation of such College courses as English 1 and 2 in the last edition of the University Review.
See related box Page 3.
Finals cramming hits faculty also
By JOHN KIELY
From the time-telescoped world of college, where years last nine months and hours 50 minutes, cumbers the rather reckless art of cramming for exams.
It's an art that isn't restricted to students alone. So, with less than two weeks until finals, William M. Bass, associate professor of anthropology stopped reading term papers and hungled. "We're crumbling too. I reckon."
He rockons right. Professors must make up those tests, that students have to take.
"SOMETIMES it's easy to make up a test," said J. Eugene Fox, associate professor of biology and botany. "Sometimes it harder.
Occasionally I can make out a test in three hours. Sometimes I work on it for days, going back and changing it all the time."
One professor said it wasn't hard for him to make up his final. But getting to those stages was pretty rough.
He's J. Piekakiewicz, assistant professor of political science. He makes up his test by choosing three questions.
"I HAVE a special method," he says, "I give 20 questions to my students before the exam. Then I pick three questions from the 20.
"A lot of work," he adds, "goes into preparing the 20 basic study questions."
See Story on Page 3
77th Year, No.65
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY kansan Serving KU for 77 of its 101 Years
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Wednesday, January 11, 1967
Congress session busy with Johnson, Powell
WASHINGTON—(UPI) Tuesday was a busy day in Congress yesterday as first Adam Clayton Powell was suspended from the
Increases budget
KU keeps research pace
By GARY MURRELL
Once universities and colleges were isolated from the problems of the world, but now such institutions are active in formulating, directing and executing programs connected with virtually all segments of humanity.
Institutions of higher learning have emerged as "academic marketplaces" where knowledge, services and ideas are exchanged to better society and to further the economy.
AND KU IS IN the mainstream of this progressive research idea, having spent 80 million for research last year and contemplating a 10 per cent increase for the next academic year booting the total research expenditure to nearly $10 million.
Progress accelerates a changing environment and requires that teaching tool which has become an instrument of progress—namely RESEARCH.
William J. Argersinger, Associate Dean of Faculties, believes research to be the "very backbone" of any progressive institution.
"Research is more important now than ever before because of the expanding national and regional needs, the influx of federal funds, the reservoir of brainpower, steadily increasing enrollments and individual and institutional ambitions," he said.
A 50-fold increase in research expenditures nationally, and a gradual increase at KU with the burden of support shifting from the institutions to federal and state governments.
In some instances, a shift of faculty interests from the institution to the agency for which they are researching.
As a result of the rising importance of these conditions certain changes have taken place:
The neglect of instruction in some cases but the improvement of teaching quality in others.
The broadening of research areas, providing a much greater number and variety of research projects.
Difficulty in equally supporting many research areas.
An ever-increasing demand
for—and shortage of—qualified scientists and technicians.
A switching of emphasis from student-initiated graduate research to sponsored research managed by outside interests.
A growing change from small operations to big operations, with similar investments in physical plant and equipment.
6 An increasing percentage of applied research as opposed to basic research.
A more aggressive attitude in recruitment of faculty and submission of research proposals.
A trend toward greater cooperation among institutions in performing research.
- Creation of special research institutes, centers and laboratories to handle the greater research volume.
Greater dependence on universities by the federal government to operate federal research centers on a contract basis.
House of Representatives for at least five weeks and Lyndon Johnson presented his State of the Union message to both houses.
These changes, which occurred rapidly, have created problems as well as opportunities.
Continued on page 4
Johnson, banking on a $5.7 billion tax boost to help pay the record-breaking bills, is planning to expand the great society at home—despite "more cost, more loss, and more agony" in Viet Nam.
JOHNSON'S TAX PROPOSAL was the big surprise and the highlight of his message. The president summed up its impact by saying that for two years or so it would mean that "a person whose
income tax is $1,000 a year will pay an extra $60 over 12 months —or $3 a month."
Meanwhile today Powell was laying plans to regain his seat in Congress, settle a long-pending libel suit, and break Negroes of their Democratic voting habits.
Critics of the dapper Harlem Democrat claim that he warrants disciplining because of the trouble he is in with New York courts, his alleged abuse of the chairmanship of the education and labor committee, and his over-all flouting of congressional niceties.
ASC proposes halt of English Pro exam
At the All Student Council (ASC) meeting last night, Al Martin, Shawnee Mission junior and student body president, explained his reasons for vetoing the recently-passed elections bill.
However, the elections bill may still go into effect if it is repassed by two-thirds of the council. The bill originally passed by a small majority.
Frank Joyce (KUPA—small men's), Shawnee Mission sophomore, introduced a resolution that all students who satisfactorily complete the required undergraduate English courses with grades of C or better be exempted
from the English proficiency examination.
Joyce said that the council would "express the Student Advisory Board's opposition to the present examination" through this resolution.
THE RESOLUTION STATES opposition to the examination, that "there is widespread student opposition to the examination, that the instruction offered by the English department is of high quality, and that satisfactory completion of required under-graduate English courses is suffic-
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