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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 1983)
Oregon daily emerald Holiday closures Classes will meet as usual but some University offices will be closed today in observance of Washington's Birthday. The Registrar's office and the Financial aid office will be closed, and the printing department will offer no customer services. The health center and the department of public safe ty will provide full service. The library and the EMU will be open for regular hours. Since today is an official state holiday for classified staff, offices that will remain open will operate with skeletal staffs Monday, February 21, 1983 Eugene, Oregon Volume 84, Number 104 2001: The University’s future By Sandy Johnstone Of the Emerald Computers for everyone and library books on microfiche are in store for students in the year 2001, according to the crystal ball University administrators and faculty are consulting. The predictions, culled from interviews, may be pure speculation and wishful thinking, many cautioned. But based on their ideas, here are the predictions for the University in 2001. Prediction 1 — Computers will play a greater role in everyday University life "Students will use computers for everything," says Peter von Hippel, head of the chemistry department “The computer is a a wonderful tool. It is a research tool and an aid for thinking." “Computers will be like typewriters are today," adds Paul Holbo, vice president for academic affairs. But according to Art Farley, head of the computer science department, computer literacy will increase, and the computer science department will have to follow suit by teaching at a higher level. What the University teaches now will be taught in high school, he says. Computers can’t do all the work though. "There is no evidence writing ability will become universal because of technology,” says George Wickes, head of the English department. "Every student may have a word processor, but they will still have to write. The average student will still be allergic to words.” Prediction 2 — Regardless of how far science progress, professors will remain a classroom fixture. "There is a personal quality to the best of learning,” says Richard Hill, vice provost for academic affairs. "I’d hate to see that disappear. I don't think it will.” Hill says computers can do certain things well but can’s replicate the interaction between professors and students cannot be replicated by computers. Von Hippel agrees. "We will use mechanical aids as much as possi ble,” he says. “Time will be used more intelligently — computers will decrease the drudgery. But I would not want to dehumanize education toward 1984 We would lose creativity and lose individuality." The faculty may be involved in different activities, says Larry Pierce, the chancellor's special assistant for strategic planning Pierce says faculty Will need to be more involved in recruiting and counseling. “Faculty are not usually very good at that," he says. "They are not trained in it.” Prediction 3 — Students will be better prepared for college. The state system already is moving toward tougher admissions standards, with proposed changes requir ing high schogl students to have four years of English, three years of math, two years of science, three years of social science and two years of other college prepara tory courses. “Admissions requirements will go up,” says University Pres Paul Olum. He expects to see a foreign language requirement for admission. "Students will live up to the expectations we have of them." And expectations will increase during the time students are here. "The era of the easy A will be over," says von Hippel. Prediction 4 — A smaller number of students of typical college age — 18 to 24 years old — will be enrolled in the state system. "The average age of students will continue to increase,” says von Hippel. He says more part-time students will enroll, and more students will take time off between high school and university. Holbo says demographics show fewer people in the college-age group attending universities until 1996, when a slight increase should occur. Instead, universi ties will have to cater to different groups such as professionals, military personnel and special interest groups, he says. Prediction 5 — Libraries will be less book-oriented. “Books will be available on microfiche," says University Archivist Keith Richard. “There will probably still be books, though.” Pierce says traditional libraries may become extinct. "We will no longer be able to afford to fill buildings with books,” he says. Prediction 6 — New science disciplines will arise because of advances in those fields. "Departments tied to technology will change a great deal," says Wickes. Hill says "exciting" developments among disci plines will "tend to break down department organiza tion.” Von Hippel looks for advances in cell biology and solutions to energy problems. “We are in the middle of a revolution of molecular and cell biology," he adds. Prediction 7 — The humanities, arts and social sciences will remain an important part of the college curriculum, despite scientific progress. "As we get more used to technology, there will be a terrific demand for philosophy, humanities and lan guages," says Pierce. "People will come back to the universities to develop their minds." Holbo says the high technological level of society will give people more free time for arts and entertainment. Graphic by Shawn Bird Prediction 8 — More emphasis will be placed on Asian Studies and International Studier '“There will be more awareness of international factors," says Holbo. Richard says the country in general will need to look beyond its own borders. "As a nation we have to be more literate in other languages and cultures," says Richard. "We have to look at the world without being so insulated." Prediction 9 — More programs will take five years to complete. "The level of material is so extensive that it will be impossible to do in a four-year period,” says Pierce. In fact, some colleges, such as education, are considering changing to a five-year program. Uncle Sam withholds aid to draft resisters By Aleta Zak Of th* Emerald A new law requiring students to prove they have registered for the draft before receiving federal loans and grants is already causing confu sion in the University financial aid office. The law, which takes effect July 1, will require the financial aid office to verify selective service registration records for every eligible student of draft age. Any student who cannot prove he has registered will not receive aid he may have already been awarded. "It’s definitely going to cause us more work,” says Ed Vignoul, financial aid director. “Right now we’re just not sure how much we’ll be affected." Vignoul says his department is trying to decide how to enforce the new ruling. All students, in cluding women and men under age 18, will probably have to submit an extra form stating whether they have registered for the draft, says Vignoul. Those who have registered must then supply the financial aid office with a copy of the letter they received from the selective service department veri fying their registration. Although the federal education department will determine the official rules for enforcement of the law, financial aid offices at individual schools are allowed to submit comments on the proposed guidelines. University financial aid staff members will meet today to discuss how the department will res pond to the law. Vignoul says he expects to receive word of the official rules in mid-March. Vignoul refuses to give his personal opinion of the law, but he says he is resigned to working with it. “I really tried to see both sides of it, but I’m just not going to get into a philosophical discussion about it,” says Vignoul. “The law is passed, and what we have to do now is make some constructive comments (on) how we are going to implement it.” The selective service-financial aid law may have passed last fall, but controversy surrounding it still lives on. Some anti-draft groups, like Students Opposed to Registration of the Draft and the cam pus American Civil Liberties Union, see the law as discriminatory and a government intrusion into private life. “The rationale for the law is that if you get benefits from this society, you have to be willing to spill your blood for it," says Ron Phillips, a SORD member and a staff worker for the Coalition Oppos ed to Registration of the Draft. Phillips says any student who chooses not to register for the draft will be forced to incriminate himself if he wants financial aid. Doug Marker, director of the campus ALCU, agrees with Phillips. “This law is going to be a disaster,” says Marker. “It will hurt a lot of peoples’ chances for getting financial aid. It’s a complete in trusion of government into the lives of all these people.” But just how many students will be affected by the law? Col. Robert Ball, director of the Oregon selec tive service, says the registration compliance rate for males born between 1960 and 1963 is about 95 percent. Nearly 80 percent of those bom in 1964 have registered, but Ball says he expects the percentage to increase during the next few months as more precise statistics are compiled. “The law is a means to encourage young men to comply with the federal draft legislation,” says Ball. "You can’t drive a car without a license. It’s the same principle.”
