Should Rush Be Deferred?
The Best Interests of the Students
Should Be the Prime Consideration
Today President Flemming’s staff may
discuss when fraternity and sorority rush
should take place. The President has prom
ised a decision on the matter during Jan
uary or early February.
Last October 17, the Emerald devoted
its editorial page to columns on the sub
ject. We did not take a stand, however.
Since that time. IFC President s Coun
cil has voted unanimously to recommend
keeping rush during its present time in
New Student Week. The ASUO Cabinet
has supported IFC’s decision.
Also since that time, a survey by the
Campus Planning Commission has shown
that the sentiment among freshmen leans
toward a deferred rush week. Dormitory
Counselors and members of the ASUO
Senate also favor a change in the present
time of rush, according to the survey.
The practical arguments bearing on
such a decision are varied. Advocates of
deferred rush claim that early rush forces
decisions without adequate knowledge of
houses or the Greek system by those stu
dents rushing. They claim that deferred
rush allows those who do not pledge to
already be involved in other aspects of
campus life, including classes.
Opponents claim that deferred rush
necessitates cumbersome rules and regula
tions which are hard to enforce. They point
out that deferred rush would be held dur
ing the regular school year and would de
tract from classes. They note that house
membership would be reduced during fall
term, causing monetary problems. The
opponents also quote an evaluation of an
attempt at deferred rush by the University
in 1951, which states that deferred rush
was an “utter failure.”
It is our belief that these arguments do
not penetrate to the heart of the matter.
The decision on whether or not to defer
rush week to a later date than its present
time during New Student Week is a de
cision with far greater implications than
appear on the surface. A decision to defer
rush would deal a hard blow to the power
which fraternities and sororities presently
have in the University student’s value
system.
Earlier in the year the Emerald was
convinced that fraternities and sororities
were making real efforts to take progres
sive steps toward accepting the norms of
the academic community. Recent knowl
edge about fraternity hazing and some
serious reflection on what is indicated by
the lack of progress in this area require
re-evaluation of this conviction.
When a freshman arrives at the Univer
sity, he is at an impressionable age. He
tends to acquire the values of those in the
University community whom he associates
with and admires. The Greek system is
naturally an integral part of this value
orientation.
wnue tne memDers oi iraiernmes ana
sororities place much importance upon
grades, freshmen unconsciously learn
through association with their sorority and
fraternity peers, that grades are more im
portant than learning, that no one attends
concerts or lectures, and that the main
topic of interest should, of course, be Fri
day night’s date or Saturday’s ball game.
While this idea of orientation frater
nities give to incoming freshmen is a vast
generalization, and is not true in every
case, there is enough truth in it to cause
a questioning of rush week’s position in
New Student Week.
Would incoming freshmen tend to ac
cept the academic values of this University
community more readily if they were not
immediately exposed to the fraternity and
sorority culture? Would students tend to
take a longer, slower look at why they
are here, and maybe refrain from getting
caught up in a social whirl? Are fraternities
and sororities slowly but surely recognizing
that they must line up their objectives
with that of the University if they are to
continue to exist? Do they need a push in
this direction?
These questions are difficult to answer.
But the President’s staff, the deans of the
various school of the University, could
come to a thoughtful and rational decision
on deferred rush by addressing themselves
to such questions.
They should realize that how they an
swer them will have a significant long-run
effect upon this University.
Letters to the Editor
Lack of Proof
Emerald Editor:
I am delighted that my argu
ments (sometimes purposefully
overstated) in support of wider
use of what I have called the
Socratic method of teaching ap
pear to have stimulated some
thought about the limits of the
method. One of your correspon
dents (see the Emerald of Janu
ary 30) has written that:
‘ Some classes, because of size,
quality of participants and sub
ject matter, lend themselves to
the Socratic method . . . others
simply do not.”
To use the words of this same
correspondent (see the Emerald
of January 30), “The only thing
notable aBout this contention
is a conspicuous lack of proof
to support it.”
Robert S. Summers
Assistant Professor of
Law
Need for Lecture
Emerald Editor and Mr. Harrell:
Professor Summers’ challenge
to the sacred cow of the modern
university, the lecture system, is
timely. Few will disagree with
his strictures, nor with his argu
ment that a primary goal of the
educational process is the de
velopment of critical thinking.
Professor Summers fails how
ever to recognize the vital role
which the lecture method may
play in a balanced program of
instruction. Ideally, the lecturer
brings into the classroom the
full fruits of his own reflection
on, or analysis of, the problems
and issues he uncovers in the
subject matter. Such a presen
tation cannot be duplicated in
any reading assignment, nor in
the necessarily slow and discur
sive process of discussion and
Socratic dialogue. What is need
ed is a fuller recognition of the
specific contribution made by
each of these techniques in a
liberal education, together with
a recognition, long evident in
European universities, that the
chief danger to the lecture tech
nique is simply too much of it.
Stanley Pierson
History Dept.
* * #
Important Program
Emerald Editor:
While the Young Democrats
did not misunderstand the mean
ing of your January 23 editorial
concerning Harry Bridges we
could hardly be expected to rel
ish the thoughts behind it.
It should be clear that “boat
rocking” is not the past time of
this club nor its intentions. We
have not pursued a policy of
controversy for controversy’s
sake in the past and we do not
intend to do so in the future.
Mi Bridges will appear on this
campus, but not alone. A holder
of opposite views will be there
to test wits with him. It is a
vast underestimation of the Ore
gon Legislature to assume that
a notorious speaker will pro
foundly effect a body of men
and women so deeply concerned
with the serious execution of
their office. The fiscal complexi
ties of a state budget are far to
important and much more sig
nificant than “incidents” at the
University.
We can rejoice that the Emer
ald supports free speech; yet
your editorial indicates to us
that in doing so you are neglect
ting to put substance to the
meaning or action to the words.
The Young Republicans have
said much the same.
However, we hope that Chair
man Hoyt has seen the error of
his partisan ways and that in
the future his erstwhile group
of Republicans can produce a
program of speakers that will
benefit our student body. At
least we hope so.
As for the Young Democrats,
(Continued on page 3)
Cathy n
ieviiie
Our Contemporaries
Quigg Newton. President of
the University of Colorado, has
come under fire for dismissing
Professor B E. Lauer, head of
the chemical engineering de
partment at that school.
Last term Newton dismissed
the editor of the Colorado Daily
and drew a large protest from
many quarters.
In his letter to Lauer, New
ton said, ‘ You have been asked
to resign because all members
of the Department of Chemical
Engineering, the dean of your
college, and the provost of the
University have no confidence
in your leadership I concur in
that opinion."
Lauer has contested the firing
and said that he will definitely
appear before the Board of Re
gents to tell his story Lauer
questions Newton’s right to fire
him The professor has been
battling requests for his resig
nation, according to the Daily,
by contending that when he as
sumed the job, it was under
stood to be permanent.
Regent Charles D. Bromley,
of the state board of Regents,
asked for Newton's resignation
and blasted the president as
' having the power to fire no
body.” Newton, when informed
of Bromley's statement, said
that it was a continuation of
Republican Bromley’s political
attack against him.
Bromley called Lauer “the
most qualified man for the job.”
The city council of Boulder.
Colorado will vote on a proposal
to permit sales of hard liquor
within the city limits. Students
and University officials at Uni
versity of Colorado, in Boulder,
were either overwhelmingly for
or had not common! on ihc
change of policy. Some of the
comments were:
Basketball standout Mill Muel
ler: ' i can't say too weil in u,v
position. I ll have to pass on my
comment."
Sometime-poet Frederick Dan
iel Wilson, Jr.: "Passing this
ordinance could help drinking
become an integral part of edu
cation on ‘his campus.”
# *
OSU students gained state
wide recognition two weeks ago
when they staged a protest dem
onstration over dormitory con
ditions. An Inter-Dorm and In
ter-Hall council meeting held
last week brought some of these
complaints.
Joel Ivey, president of Weath
erford Hall, listed some of the
complaints. Waste chutes were
described as being too small to
empty trash into and Ivey said
that sometimes they wore so
smokey that the fire engines had
been called out. He commented
that the fire alarms were not
centralized and that one fire
official had said that it would
take five minutes to alert all
alarms, lie cited one case where
girls in a dorm had paid to have
something fixed and nothing had
been done in two years.
The council proposed that an
impartial professional be hired
to suggest methods of improving
present cafeteria facilities Pres
ident James If Jenson closed
the meeting by saying that ef
forts would be made to correct
any problems which are plagu
ing the dormitory system
* « •
Tuition and dorm foes increas
es arc* currently being opposed
at the University of Washing
ton, at Kansas University, and
at the University of Texas.
At Washington, dormitory
fees were increased $20 per
term Ernst M, Conrad. Univer
sity Business Manager, attribut
ed the increase to rising oper
ating costs but said that the
rates are still lower than those
paid by many comparable col
leges. Dormitory fees are now
$780 per year.
The Kansas State Board of
Regents voted to increase fees
$15, raising the fees paid by stu
dents from $70 to $85 Students
do not pay tuition at Kansas.
The increase is expected to
bring in an additional $1 million.
In Texas, Senator Martin Dies
Jr. said, "I'm not for a doubling
of tuition for the University un
til I’m shown a much better
reason than I have been so far.
If the money raised by doubling
the tuition were used to make
the University a truly great
school, then I might be for it,
But it might just be used to
finance another mediocre col
lege or junior college.”
OREGON DAILY EMERALD
The Oregon Daily Kmcrald is published
•even times ill September ami five dnyi a
week during the school year, except dur
ing examination and vacation periods by
the Student Publications Hoard of the
University of Oregon. Entered as second
class matter at the post office, Eugene,
Oregon. Subscription rates: $5 per year;
$2 per term.
Opinions expressed on the editorial page
asc those of The Emerald and do not pre
tend to represent the opinions of the
ASUO or the University.
RON BUEL. Editor
MARTY KJ&TELS, Business Manager
TED MAHAR, Managing Editor
EVERKTTK DENNIS, News Editor
PHIL COC*SWELL,
Editorial Page Editor
LARRY WILLIAMS,
Advertising Manager
LARRY CRAVES, Sport* Editor
d{ LCY MORAN,
Assistant Managing Ed tor
DAVE SANDS, JIM FRANK,
JANKT GOKToF,
Assistant News Editors
GEORGE 'll Gil AM, Photo Editor
I-f\D.J BRC W.\, Entertaimr rnt Editor
RON COWAN, CATHY NE /IDLE,