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Show What course for the 70's By Kent Calder People it seems, almost inevitably fail to appreciate the implications of revolutionary change. In the political realm, for example, the destruction of class barriers in Russia following the October Revolution created the possibility of an egalitarian society, but the Bolsheviks failed to appreciate this. They established a new class structure more hypocritical than the old. The abolition of slavery in the United States in 1863 likewise created the possibility of a constructive new relationship between black and white. For a hundred years, however, we have failed to establish it. Revision In Education American universities are faced today with the prospect of radical revision in educational relationships (student-faculty, student-student, and community-student). Yet a danger exists that they may fail, just as the Americans and Russians have done in the political sphere, to profit from the destruction of unsatisfactory old relationships. The danger is particularly great at this University because we have given little thought to what those new associations should be. The studentbody at large is partly responsible for the lack of debate over ultimate educational goals. We just don't give the impression of being interested. Last year five people showed up to debate the pros and cons of the Honors Program; the Mark Green Auditorium held 20 when pass-fail was debated prior to its initial adoption eighteen months ago. Lack of interest in debate over educational change is apparently continuing; inspection of back Chronicles shows that apparently only one letter-to-the-editor concerning an educational topic has been submitted since Nov. 1. That one was penned by Oakley Gordon, dean of Academic Counseling and General Education. ASUU Supported Reform This year's Associated Students of the University of Utah (ASUU) probably more than any previous student government, has supported educational reform; it is characteristic that President Steve Gunn was among the handful of students attending last week's Time-Out organizational meeting. While the ASUU may be interested in change, however, it has not moved to establish a coherent framework for it by encouraging discussion of broad educational goals. We have new Experimental Curriculum and Grading Practices Committees on this campus, it is true, but their scope is necessarily quite limited. Experimental Curriculum is restricted to the passive function of reviewing student requests for credit, and grading practices, while potentially capable of initiatory action, is limited to examination of grade-related questions. At present there is no group equipped to discuss more fundamental issues and present practical recommendations for change on a university-wide basis. Restructure Student Government Two specific revisions in university structure appear in order to allow the University to exploit the possibilities for academic change tu a restructuring of student govemm 4fltst'l';': oriented toward conventional "t!,j preseMljt'i Six positions on Executive Counc n? activi- ' devoted primarily to programmS n U campus organizations (also the function ?,Sn Cabinet and to some degree 1 ?fA Committee), while only the w SS whole gamut of student-faculty 2 and Organizations Boards should b 1 ,-S-: an Academics Board established "'ted , - To better provide Executive Co,,n;i . data for making policy dediS'r appoint research assistants to eva5Ulst questions, such as the wisdom nf T pass-fail grading. Particularly insight? i , " analyses might be submitted to th. p Werj Curriculum Board, with an ASUU 7 xpetilIlt for credit. Student research assist i?" to discuss technical questions of would give student government mw Z dealing with faculty and administration Study Curriculum ' A second change necessary to establish a ft foundation for discussion of educational iI the establishment of a studenf Z S examine the present structure of the U 1 curriculum and present concrete compre f recommendations for improvement This 2 would first consider such fundamental questio? the role of grades, credit and general educations University, and would move from there to spec concerns, such as the possibility of more senior junior year off-campus internships. Ultimately would present its findings, in very concrete terms : the ASUU and the administration. Stanford University last year established j Academic Study Committee similar to that propos above. By the time the committee's report was issir last week, over 200 students had become involved' researching aspects of university curriculum. (Mc' details on the committee's activities will be discus in future Chronicle articles.) .:: 'i Generate General Interest ... ..;, ) The success of BITCH's efforts at Booteto improvement two years ago indicate that it is posit to ignite general student interest in campus reform -the University. Perhaps similar enthusiasm can : generated in behalf of educational change. Sera members of the Course Evaluation' Comnfittf Student Tutor Society, Free University and Hone Program Student Advisory Board have alieai indicated their interest in working with an ad h curriculum revision group. Anyone else interested; invited to leave a note in the Student Tutor mail! in Union 318. " : ' It may be, after examining the University struct! in some detail, that we will find fundamental cha necessary, as Stanford did. It may be that we woi But regardless of the extent of revision determil necessary, the process of examination will give compelling reasons for following the educatioi course we as a university choose for the 1970 s. |