Chalmers airs feelings in personal interview
(Editor's note. This exclusive Kansan interview occurred at the end of a long day for Chancellor-designate Chalmers. The Kansan reporter met Chalmers at Blake Hall, following the Faculty Senate meeting, walked with him to KU's guest house and visited with him in the living room.)
By MARTHA
MANGELSDORF
Kansan Staff Writer
E. Laurence Chalmers, chancellor elect, arrived at the Kansas City airport last night to begin a four-day visit and orientation program with students, faculty and administrators for whom he will be responsible beginning July 1.
Chalmers met the press in an hour-long conference yesterday, then met with Provost James Surface, the student-faculty committee instrumental in his selection, Dean Francis Heller and the Faculty Senate members.
Chalmers said topics of discussion ranged from issues pending before the Kansas Legislature, then on to a short briefing about the plight of the KU Medical Center employees. The ASC resolution for campus gun control and the future of inter-University relations with the added involvement of students under the new Senate Code were also discussed, he said.
Expressing a deep concern for the University constituency which he described as "even more cordial and open and warm than the marvelous letters he had received," Chalmers said his door would always literally and
18 KANSAN Mar. 14 1969
figuratively be open to hear the voice of concurrence or dissent expressed by any student, faculty member, or administrator.
Chalmers said he had already learned to do much of his paper work in the evenings and on weekends to allow that much extra time for meetings with University persons.
Recapping his thoughts on certain issues overlooked by the press in their blitz-question conference, Chalmers referred first to the student dissent resolution passed recently in both houses of the legislature.
"I feel that resolution will mean more to higher education in Kansas and will be more important even than an increment in funds that the legislature might have provided," the new Chancellor emphasized.
Chalmers recalled student dissent bills, more restrictive and severe than Kansas', and said their action "was an incredible way for state legislatures to go just to appease some folks back home. Surely they must realize in this day and age they're just setting back the progress of higher education by those measures."
Chalmers affirmed a strong belief in due process, should a disturbance possibly merit dismissal of those involved.
"Student honor courts and review and appeal proceedings would certainly be practiced,"
he said. "My only concern, from past experience, would be that student judges tend to be far tougher on their maverick colleagues sometimes, than is deemed necessary," he added.
Again giving reference to experience at Florida State, Chalmers said he was "very fond of the pass/no credit system."
"I believe it does encourage students to explore levels of curriculum they otherwise would avoid due to competition, and it gives them the opportunity to sample graduate-level courses they would otherwise steer clear of."
Another very crucial problem the new chancellor believes he will have to cope with is that of low faculty salaries in proportion to talent.
Shaking his head over the fact that KU is a class B university by faculty salary ratings, Chalmers said that for the moment, there were no devastating consequences, but it was only a question of how long this situation would last until real effects were felt.
Chalmers indicated that the calibre and dedication of faculty should merit the concern commensurate with the quality already existing.
Chalmers commented on the advantages of the tri-mester calendar system and on the value of undergraduate "apprentices" teaching courses in the University.
He said both were valuable and successful only with proper implementation and proper perspective adjustment in salaries, curriculum, material and resources.
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