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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 30, 1949)
R. D. CLARK To the Editor: A recent feature story and an editorial in the Emerald have de scribed the student advising pro gram as "inefficient," and the consequent problems as “ex tremely serious.” Faculty advis ers will readily admit that the program is not without fault, and that an occasional student may become a “victim of the incon sistent system.” However, in jus tice to the faculty members who devote time to the advising of students, certain facts should be pointed out. 1. A year ago President New burn requested the deans of the college and the professionals schools to select,, as lower division advisers, staff members who are best qualified to advise freshmen and sophomores. 2. These advisers were as signed, by the respective deans, to the areas in which they are best able to direct student pro grams. Pre-professional advisers, for example, were chosen both for their interest in general edu cation and their knowledge of professional school requirements. A large number of freshmen and sophomores have not decided upon a “major” (lower division students in the college of liberal arts do not designate a major). These students are assigned to advisers who are aware of and interested in their needs and problems. Other students are as signed to one of the professional schools or, in the college, to one of three groups—social sciences, humanities, sciences. Within the college, depart mental lines are purposely ig nored (save for the above group ings) in the belief that the stu dent will feel more free to change his field of study if his interests and aptitudes so direct. 3. At a recent meeting, a com mittee representing the lower di vision advisers approved a plan which will give especial attention to the needs of beginning stu dents who are not making satis factory academic records. 4. At the same meeting, one of the advisers presented the results of a poll on advising which he had conducted in a freshman English class. The students .point ed out several faults, ranging from “too much control” to the “impersonal,” “perf unctnry” character of the advising. But the immediately relevant fact is this: the committee requested that the investigation be contin ued and that the data collected be used to improve the advising. 5. A word needs also to be said about the “system.” It is Inevi table that, in a large institution, many diffciulties and inconven iences will arise. A student wants a particular section at a desira ble hour from a favorite instruc tor. So do many others. In consequence, on the first day of pre-registration students hurriedly seek out their advisers, impatient for their signatures, so that they can be the first to gain admission to the section. Those who are in charge of registration and the lower division advising committee are seeking ways to solve this problem and have sev eral suggestions (including a means of making appointments) to offer advisers and depart ments. In short, the University is keenly aware of the importance of improving the advising pro gram and it has and is taking steps to that end. The lower di vision advising system has been inaugurated only recently. Many of the advisers are relatively new faculty members on the campus. In time, perhaps it will work more efficiently. On the other hand, certain as sumptions which seem to under lie the statements in the Emerald need to be questioned. Apparently it is assumed that either the adviser or the depart ment conducting a class must take the final responsibility for the exactness of each clerical de tail in the registration. Is it' too much to ask a college student to determine for himself, after he and the adviser have decided upon the course, whether or not he is entering a first or third term ? If he doesn’t know on registra tion day, -ougjit he not discover that fact by the end of the sec ond week? Or take the matter of counsel ing. Although some instructors are qualified counselors, many, it is admitted, are not trained to do counseling. But the Univer sity maintains a well staffed counseling center, with elaborate' provisions for testing, guidance, and remedial work. Are the stu dents generally unaware of the availability of this service? I should like to reiterate that the University is very much in terested in improving the adviser student relationship, and that ef forts are being made in that di rection. In the meantime, we shall be pleased to receive any constructive suggestions from students. Robert D. Clark, Chm. Lower Division AdvisSSi College of Liberal Arts He Was a Scholar Dr. John Ganoe was of that type of professor known as a true scholar. He was always interested in the pursuit of truth and in passing it along to his students. He took those who en tered his classes and worked with them in an attempt to de velop them to the very limits of their potentialities. Professor Ganoe was not a man who had swarms of fans following him from class to class, but he was one who was thoroughly respected by his students and his colleagues. Those who reached the advanced history courses had an opportunity fully to understand his abilities. His classes were no snaps; they were courses in which those enrolled could count on learning something. His lectures were informative. They were truly educational. They were not de signed to amuse or to pad a light study load. In addition to serving on the graduate council, the faculty senate, and the advisory council, he was on the president s com mittee to study University procedure. He took time, too, to act as adviser to the ISA. In these groups he will be sorely missed. Dr. Ganoe’s specialties were those fields of history with a legal economic, and research twist. For the past ten years he had been engrossed in writing a book on the constitution of the United States. Now, as a finished work, it will stand to the world as speaking evidence of the scholar that he was. J. G. Oregon W Emerald The Oregon Drily Emerald, publish'd daily during the college year except Sundays, Mondays, holidays, and final examination periods by the Associated Students, University of Oregon. Subscription rates: per terra and $4.00 per year. Entered as second-class matter at the post office. Eugene. Oregon. BILL YATES, Editor VIRGIL TUCKER, Business Manager Associate Editors: June Goetre, Boblee Brophy, Diana Dye, Barbara Heywood Advertising: Manager: Cork Mobley BOB REEl), Managing Editor Assistant Managing Editors: Stan Turnbull, Don Smith BOB TWEEDELL, City Editor Assistant City Editors: Ken Metzler, Amt Goodman NEWS EDITORS Chuck Grell. Hal Coleman, Steve Loy, Vic Fryer, Diane Mecham DEPARTMENT EDITORS _ it „ Tam King. Sports Editor W alter Dodd, Feature Editor Coi.me Jackson, Women's Editor Warren Collier, (. hiei Night Editor UPCKR BUSINESS STAFF Eve Overbeck, Nat’l Adv. Mgr. Bill Lemon, Sales Mgr. Leslie Tooze. Ass’t Adv. Mgr. Ilelen Sherman, Circulation Mgr. Tack Schnaidt, Ass’t Adv. Mgr. Donna Brennan. Ass’t Adv. Mgr, Rae Evans, Ass’t Adv. Mgr. Bill Plummer, Ass’t Adv. Mgr. Joaa Mlmnaugh- Assist. Business Manager Platforms Proved If— Campus Politics a Farce? Yes, He Says By Kirk Braun When the Emerald declared a few days ago that campus politics was a farce, there were many naive souls who were offended. The political advertisements in Wednesday's Emerald proved that the editor was 100 per cent correct. If there was ever a confession of immaturity uttered by two so called political parties, this was It. Let’s take a look at the’plat form of the AGS party first: “A STUDENT OPERATED UNION — CAMPUS PUBLICA TIONS” ... As for a student operated union, the students can’t even throw a successful dance—how could they run a un ion. The reference to campus pub lications is a little vague, to say the least. If there were twice as many publications they could go broke twice as fast. “A FIGHT FOR LESS NAIVE CENSORSHIP OF PUBLICA TIONS” . . . What pray tell, is NAIVE censorship? And if there were ANY censorship at all, I'd certainly be preaching from other pulpits! “INCREASED STUDENT IN TEREST IN GOVERNMENT” . . . Professors would welcome a little more interest in govern From Our Mailbag LETTERS TO THE EDITOR DIDN’T VOTE To the Editor: Some people deplore the lack of interest in school elections. The small turnout is blamed on student indifference. I and many others who would not vote in this election were far from in different. We refused to vote as a silent protest against the impo tence of our student government. (A student government that can’t or won’t put a stop to the vicious practice of organized seat saving at football games is certainly im potent. ) Participating in this election would have meant giving tacit approval to an organization which, in its present state, de serves to be boycotted by all stu dents who have better than high school mentalities. Our student body politicians have consistently ignored our in terests. We have been treated like children. You don’t have to be a psychology major to know that those who are treated like children will act like children. Poor school children and act ing up at the games are the re sult. Why has not the mass of the students been called upon to de cide specific issues? Students were never asked to decide on the problem of sex segregation at athletic contests. Student body meetings have never been called. The Constitution of the ASUO makes figureheads of our officers in any matter in which the school administration may wish to inter fere. There is no truly independent student activity or publication on this campus. Those who doubt this statement may obtain a copy of the ASUO Constitution at the Student Affairs office in Emer ald hall. Read it and see why a student body officer’s position amounts to little more than an honorary title. If our student officials really have the interest of independent student government at heart, they should take steps to change the Constitution of the ASUO and also mend their own ways. Until they show they are ready to liberalize the constitution and broaden the base of responsibil ity to include all students, until they show they can keep their campaign promises, I and others who feel like me will abstain from voting in school elections. Fred J. Scullin ment, too. Courses in govern ments. If these platforms consti tute student government, I’ll take kindergarten. “AN OUTSTANDING SEN IOR BALL” ... If it didn’t lose a thousand bucks or so, then it certainly would be outstanding. * * * “REVIVAL OF OREGON TRADITIONS” . . . Seems as though all the traditions that mind can contrive have already* been revived. Of course, tradi tions of hacking and dunking are more desirable than traditional ly high educational standards. “A CHANCE FOR EVERY ONE IN CLASS ACTIVITIES” . . . There are already more ac tivities than there are students. Of course, if there were no classes to interfere, more people could get into more activities. The USA platform, although considerably longer and more de tailed, was just as sad. Let’s look at a few of the more fantastic parts of it: “DEVELOPMENT OF . NEW' AND MORE CAMPUS LEAD ERS” . . . Everybody ought to get into the act. Make every student a campus leader. But who will he lead ? i “STUDENT DOMINATED STUDENT UNION BOARD — DEVELOPMENT OF A WELL BALANCED PROGRAM WITH PROPER CONSIDERATION FOR THE 2500 OFF-CAMPUS STUDENTS” —Program of what? Maybe we can get a plot of ground for them over on the west side of town for their own private student union. * * * ....“CLOSE TIE Between ASUO AND THE EMERALD” . . . It’s really not very far from the ASUO offices in Mac court to the Emerald shack. And may be when the student union is fin ished, they’ll be in the same build ing. “WATER IN THE MILL, RACE BY NEXT FALL” — The Millrace Development associa tion will okay this. They seem to (Please turn to page eight)