rorum Laissez faire education gives more freedom Degree requirements stifle individuality By Allen Hancock It's time to completely -tlx>1 ish the degree system in higher edut hIion Why eliminate the pinnacle of our studies.'’ B\ eliminating the degree, the stu dent, rather than the mstitu lion, would have the respnnsi hilitv and freedom to tin late the parameters of tidlit at ion Commentary I shall begin l>\ addressing the coni erns of those who would prefer to maintain the degree system hirst, support ers of the status quo say that without degrees, businesses would have no wav of i ornpar ing the qualifications of appli cants lor a position But degrees do not provide .m objective basis foi adequate comparison A biology degree from one si bool may have dis tim tlv different requirements than .1 biology degree from an other school. (Anyone who has had to transfer to anothei si bool knows this all too well) The liberal arts component of degrees also varies from one si bool to another Furthermore degrees do not indicate the quality of edui a lion Degrees do not distin guish A students from (I stu dents. do not indicate how well a student integrates the teach ings from different i nurses, and degrees do not indicate if the student has retained what he or she has learned years earlier Second, advocates of degrees suggest that employers could not tell if a potential employee had adequate training Flimi nating degrees, though, does not mean we would eliminate transcripts, resumes or inter views People seeking employ ment would have to refine their written and oral coilimunii.a lion skills to convince person nel agents that tliev possess the appropriate hai kground rather l!i,in reiving on the artifit r "I a degree The imliv idual wimid also have greater opportunity to express other desirable charm leristic s six li .is motivation. i reativ itv. sense of humor, punt tuii 1 it\ or emotional stahil it \ Similarly the emplover would have to reline their hit ing i riteria to include these mi pintant hut often overlooked human i haiat teristit s I he result businesses would select i andidates that more closet} meet then needs, saving them money in the long run People looking for cmplov'intuit would ipiii klv learn w hat part it ulai i harat teristics the\ need to compete in the job market, and employers would quit klv learn to not hire people on the basis ol a slit k interview Third, some opponents ol leissez faire education contend that students would have no motivation to learn anything bevolltl the knowledge needed for a part it ular |ob This argil intuit haishlv underestimates human nature It lor no other reason, students would want to take a w ide range of courses be t ause employers would quit klv recognize that their best work ers have a broad base of know I edge Students could also spread the liberal arts component of their education over many vears. which would diversify student demographics and make the cost of education more manageable Perhaps stu dents would even enjoy rather than dread these courses with out the pressure of require merits In any t ase, the v alue of etfu cation to both the individual and to society transcends train mg for employment Ivducation should stimulate our intellect to ask ourselves the questions that give us perspet live and make life more meaningful With these motives, heuristic s would leatl students to evaluate the reasons tor l.ikiii^ i nurses rather tiian i omplai rnllv at tending t ourses without ques tinning u In \ou I shall assert the adv an last's ot eliminating degrees H\ ( hanging the edu< atmnal system in this mannei rve i onld tailor our own edm alum 1 oi example a woman aspires to design resorts to make them appealing to visitors Should she pursue a degree in art liitei hire' Design7 Leisure studies ' 1’syc hology ’ \nv one ot these programs would require her to take (/ i% uhal »**>*■ all alumt' Soups Salads S.iut'i ki .ml I'ol.ito Salad liut.vts I nos * Hoiilo.’v Cii-s i in hi.-i.Is “Wir Sprechen Deutich" 5101 KiiMtJttut • \im\N froni Dinikiii Duiiiils. Mon. h 11. lOa.iu. Kp ui. s// CAMPUS KA9P T>£S9GW Men & Women • Shampoo • Haircut • Blowdry por only • Style $10 N€|US Call m u for .)n appointment1 Wall- ms Welcome' 484 0314 EMU Ground Floor need .1 mult' < nm rcle frame work ol courses and extrai ur in ill,it ,n tivilies In pursue their i .ireer I’resealK - people w I{!)<>111 ile glees have little stature I mil p.irrd to those ulm ilu regard less ol then edm ,iliiiii.il h.H k ground \ ju■ is«in with onl\ one health i lass letl to gradu .lie lor example has essential l\ no i redoutiiiIs in the eves ol sot iet\ and employers 1 his i anses students to blindlv work toward earning a degree rathei than paying attention to the prut ess ol edlit .ilion W ithout degrees, a person s merits ai hievementx and personal i liar.n teristit s would dn late stature The toi us of si hooling would respet tlullv return to ed in ation I'm.ills degrees siinplv add to the Itutealit ratit strui lure ol film ation Individuals need to r h(»< uini’ educationally autono moils Would von Id the im ner ol ,i rest,nirant t«*lI you what you should eat loi your best good' Would you wan I tin1 government to toll you wlnit i .1 reer you must pursue ’ t )l t nurse not I lieu u ll\ let .III ail ministration tell students what they need tor their eilui .ition ' People should have 1 barge ot their own edut alion I ligher edui ation has mam yirtues and .1 nnmher ot prolr leins l et us t.ike a step toward solving some ot those problems try revoking the concept of de gives Mini II.1111 in k r,irnril a II S in Ijnininniriiltil .s'/iri/ie.s ,1/ XorthLnul 1 n//egr ,unl is iiii/e peni/en//i working on a \/as tt'i s ni/un.ilt'nl .1! thr / nneisi (V (trvgon l)nil\ _ - Emerald I* II II,.» I|'l I ..** n. < >M U'*n *» ' *1 ‘ ■ *.« ,1 ,, ” • • a. - , ‘ !i ; i ■ • ■ i■ i! . by i t ? * * *: r t f 1 * * *' «1 ’ 1 Put >1 i s'* <’■ J V .It the University -d Oregon l-uy«n« Oregon Th.< Efnorc»i operated inSepeo. ]en!!y of the Umvervty with "■ -n the tfiif 5 1 ! the f ft. Mem rial Uni. iMil i A---, 1 »!**•! • Th** J mmaid . private property The wM'.iaPi) fen . i ' nse-a, i, «•• i' Editor F ditonal Editor Graphics Editor E ncore Editor t ditor '' i • A .• vVf-., ■ News Editor Sports Editor M i> • * Supplements Editor K.Wt'« Night Editor Christ op Tracy Darla her Blair A i .. Wheel**' Associate Editors Community mVV itner Student Government/Activities ithen ■ H.ia , Higher Education/Adrninistration. < h" . B«>uneff Features C>*—>*r t "ft*1'1 Reporters Jol.e And'ude Peter Coy-, a* Ashley ( Mhim Dan { ■ . .• Holland Joe Kidd Layno l ukefish Pat Muluch Stephanie M.-ru imrir Cam Sivesmd. AI». e Thornton Photographers *tevo ard Martin Tfi*»• ■ Advertising Maureen Bemadeil. Mark Brundaye She Him Hagen S- oft M A.. , Arny Mittelsfandt Meln.su Nelson Kathy Smith Kristi Stn-ther E dward W»-iu. ► Apprentice Kathy F m.|i oft B«,*« Ky Mom, Jennifer Knstu Kim* M< IP N* *• L ea’iy Susan Miguel A ostu St«*phen Mosley M.ihj NnA'iian Lisa Hu hrnan Production Jennifer An h«?r Katm, Bum M>u BerteP.nn Ten H* ■ j ini (lari' Aim.' Cam mi Lotus Child Jim Fin. h. Chine Frier Yvette G*n '..-an Head Jer-a-.dwr Hi.ey jnhe Keeton l mda Klaastad F in.a t u.Min.i" '.he-a I ae .,|| Mat.en jim MuSoh We "d, Morns A ijei.l Mu* •: A'M Help e m et 'A hnf.er Jean Sene./hat Jennifer Smith Anm- .. Martin th.e le nder Tfu-mas Ingrid White, Kelly Williams Todd Williams General Staff Advertising Director . . - Assistant to the Publisher Production Manager M ■ • R. Advertismg Coordinator Classified Manager C m Ft worth Accounts Receivable Circulation. Newsroom Classified Advertising Display Advertising Production Graphic Services andrit Da!!».*' 346 5511 346 4343 346 3712 346 4381 THE FAR SIDE By GARY LARSON X rr> Oof your ;1 I'm the. KicKen >©u I.'rtW* doy _ ... __,_iHou^ht * *fd fr* ,j, rrv»r .' kVbui^ you «? fo Know your |,WI<5* F;f, iS ? ^Ka Scene from Dinner on Elm Street