Catalyst

PAGE 1

wind alo11g the waste 'l//tN ACT ONE I entered the faculty meeting at about 3: 30. On the agenda, I had heard, was the conference propOsal and some other presentations that could be of some interest. Sat down, finished my Cold Milk looked around and noted that the room was more fuli thm it nor 'll ally seemed to be. A few students had been invited <6 OK. MonteKnight, DavidAdams, PazCohen. Thentherewas Joh Shaugnessy, Sall lee Anderson. I wondered what was up; there was a vague suspicion in my mind that at least Shaugnessy might have been there in anothE:J'. a1J!Wlpt to physically open up the faculty meetings to the Mob. I suspected he might leave later, am nobody seemed to be paying much attention so I forgot about it for five minutes. Anvwav. I couldn't see much point in the symbolic influx, pro or con, considering tha lack of immediate necessity, cr desperation! But I was wrong. I will reserve Monte's report until it is at issue. Monte finished, the meeting lulled, and Dr Elmendorf pro ceeded around the table to the next most prominently positiona:l guest. "Jon--did you have a proposal? You are m invited guest of a faculty member? (paraphrase) JON, Well, no. we're here to see what the fa::ulty's reaction is to uninvited sitting in and listening. ME. (aside) Oh boy! Here it comes. Everybody is operation a loo decibels of subjective forboding. The fire has just been turna:l on but pretty soon STROPHE l. Jon, there are two ways to do it, the right way and the wrong way. This is the wrong way. ANTISTROPHE 1. What's happening here? What's he doing here? How many peo-ple are univited guests? Is this an JON. I just came to listen. I feel that I should be allowd to ::omc' in and listen when people are making ma or decisions about my life. If I were making a decision about your life I would let you listen. STROPHE 2. The faculty is conducting business. Ple:Ee understand that there is no elemnnt of secrecy about it, since you have your stu dent representat;ve. Good God, Jon, it's only a procedural matter. A matter of decorwn, of convenience. ANTISTROPHE 2. What is he doing? What sinister purpose is there behind all this? Is he trying to frighten us? To enrage us? is he carrying a bomb? VOICE OF REASON. What do you hope to accomplishthatyouC3l't through normal Jon? All legalism aside, tell me what is it precisely you're doing? JO I'm just listening. ME. What I wish would happen is that Jonwouldsaythathe's come to indicate a desire to open up to students the meeting forobservation. I hope he doesn't get too Utopian for belief. VOICE OF REASON. Jon, do you have a concrete proposa fordc;i ing with student representation? JON. About the fa ulty representation here being 1 to 1 and studexiS 5 to 300. (Adds) that means we should have at-least (subtracts)ha.ll: of the vote here. Subsequently the Goddess of Liberty rides a chariot pulled by rabid snails about the room and tosses handfulls of flowers and love beads on the table. STROPHE 3. (Isn't this a faculty meeting? Yes, this is Wedneda y afternoon.) Jon, we'd be happy to hear your proposal in this body if you'll have the courtesy to present it in the proper manner to a member o.f this body_ A TOSTROPHE 3. We will? Oh, yes, we're reasonable. All of us are reasonable. JON. Umm ... ME. More heat coming up. I can feel it in my bones. JON. I' 6i rather sit here and listen. FIRST STROPHE LEADER. Jon, I'd like to point out to you that v.e could expel! you from school if you refuse to co-operate, we are at least amenable to discussion of sanely presented matenal. ANTISTROPHE. Hear! Hear! The Goddess Justice t3kes a turn around the room distnbutu1g cop1es of the Faculty modes from her grey horse. End of Act One. ACT TWO. FIRST PHILOSOPHER. There is a gadfly biting me. SECO D PHILOSOPHER. Let's talk about the gadfly. THIRD PHILOSOPHER. Let's talk about being and time. FIRST. But I got this gadfly_ THIRD. So what? GADFLY. Yea. I came to listen to you guys talking about being and time. FIRST. But you're biting me. SECOND. Swat him, if all he really wanted to do was listen he wouldn't be biting you. THIRD. Ignore him. It's only a gadfly. SECOND. I'd like to inform you that your're obstructing our dis cussion of being and time, Gadfly. GADFLY. No I'm not. If you weren't talking about me you could be talking about being and time, or applesauce for all I care. THIRD. For the love of Heidigger, lets forget the damned gadfly and talk. FIRST. I've got to get out of here. Exeunt philosophers. Enter second gadfly. SECO D GADFLY. What happened? FIRST GADFLY. I bit a philosopher. Boy, did he taste good. No action was taken. The meeting was adjourned. An observer from Washington commented to me afterw::rds tha: it "seemed a shame because he thought that the New College Fa:: ulty seemed to be basically real human beings. And Jon? Probably he is too. I lived for a few hot weeks of a Sarasota summer in Bradenton witJt Jon. He didn't drink quite as many beers as 1 did. -And the nights arc getting colder and older. --Jon Moody FIRST A LITTLE TALK of me&thee COLLEGE COUNCIL MINUTES March 4, 1969 Present: Elemndorf, Miller, Helgeson, Culbertson Knox, Feeney, Knight, Sweeney, Borrman, Smith Absent: Hedrington 1) Restructuring Conference Dr. Elmendorf asked for discussion concemingthe conference which has been proposed b some members of the community. It immediately be came obvious that there was a considerable amount of confusion, ignorance, and misinformation surrounding the poll which had been taken to determine the opinions of community members about student power and the most desirabl time to convene a restructuring conference. The questionnare which was distributed was compiledbyagroupof students on the Student Fac ulty Committee of the SEC and was counted by the Supervisory Committee of the SEC. Confusion arose however, because the questionnaire did not indicate authorizaion by a duly constituted body of the Col lege. According to Monte Knight, the students involved intended to presentthe results to the SEC and then to the faculty at its meeting on Wednesday. Questions which were posed by members were: H:E an agenda for the conference been devised? Who will be responsible forthe agenda? Will topics dealing with non-degree programs, comprehensives and qualifying examinations be discussed? How wili the conference t:ir Time: 7:00P.M. Subject: There will be a meetinll; open to the entire campus community (students, faculty, and administration) for anyone interested in the new "To tal Community Involvement in Crime Prevention" program being set up by the Florida Probation and Parole Conunission. The program involves volunteering some to work with those on probation and parole, either in personal guidance vocational cotmseling, or many other areas. r have been des ignated the li:Eon officet" between the Florida Pro ba:tlon and Parole Commission and the campus com for the purpose of recruiting volunteers for th1s program, and anyone seeking further information should contact me in room 302. hea d STUDY CARRELLS: The Library c ntains about 30 studycarrells, which are made available to students for one term. If you would like one for third term (those who had one second term must renew them) please either speak to or leare a note for Lee Rom ero in tl1e Library before March 18. The assignments arc made on a first come, first served, basis, with Seniors having priority. A list of assignments will be posted in the Reception Center at the ofthirdterm. Books must be checked out to carrels if you wish to leave them there, or they will be reshelved. thank you, Lee Romero

PAGE 2

oage 2 _________ Vol. V, No. 2.0 EACE OF MIND OFFER This may prove to be a reaso!lable compromise between the necessary evils os an aleducation (from the student point of view) and the desirable depth of academic accomplishment (from the faculty point of view) while not violating any of the administration sinequanons of ew College as an advertising agency or a iln;.ncia! entity. I hope. Education is not here, or many other places, a very contract'uaf' afair; in an outer w'orldly sense at any rate. It heen called an evaluative system, and so it must be. The species of evaluation atNe'!"' is not presently satisfactory to many of those who constiute the Communtiy. Attempts to eliminate the bases for evaluation a the institutuon would result in Dr. French's "learning hotel." Unfortunately, a "learning hotel" is probably not the s0rt of institution that would scholarships, attract a national student body, or have my fantastic success as a financial success in this community, state, or nation. Whatfs more, it m;:v not even do the pres ent level ot' educ:ltion, let alone more. This idea is still evaluative in one sense, but the criteria are no longer educational but financial. It would be a affar, though. I don't want that. On the other hand, we could have a more evaluatively strict system. We could "contract" to go to every class, do every paper, pass every test, etc. This might not be much better as a come on. It's not much as an educationally stimulating system, either. It's less of a contractual affair and 0-0NE witha n}l sincerity wants that. Preface done. See if this works. Purposes and Requirements/Limitatuons on Attend:nce Certification for Degree: Academic Requirements leading towards a degree, probably 80 % or more of SB 2. Academic Involvement (not necessarilt for a degree): Ac:rlemic Justification, 20% a. Institutionally certified non-degree program; partially financed program, needing Admh istrative Certification Resident Non-Degree Program: room and board cost, part tuition c. Non Resident Non-Degree program: part tuition All first-year students are considered to be degree c, and certainly for half or three-quarters of a Comp, the other quarter based on testing or etc. Certification of Involvei11.Bnt in a COU!ES-5ystem outside of the three Departments of Comp credit should be counted as Diversification. 3. ISP. Optional. Four Comprehensive requirements would obviate this as a first-year require-ment. More will be said about methods of achievin2 cettification hP low The point of these requirements is to loosen the WAY in which a student is not to makeiteasierinanysense. It first allows. a student to optnot to tae_fin:i test loads is no lessening of requirements, and certamly no drag on motivation to work durmg the year Second-Year Requirements 1. Statement of intention to take the Preliminary, approved by one or more of the faculty in volved in the administration or evaluation theret>t. 2. ISPs, two. These should count toward Preliminary credit. Failure to produce one. (1) ISP by mid-year might constitute grounds for removing students form a degree program unt1l production. The second ISP should be due before enrolling as a third-year student (degree) is that year is to be final. If not, by mid-year third year. 3. Preliminary. For a three-year program this should be satisfied by the end the second year. for a four-yea program, by mid-year tjird year. It should be made to cons1st of. say, four or five parts: two ISPs in the maJor, a satisfactory test record consisring of a basic departmental test and one or two student-chosen, faculty-approved demonstrations of proficiency. Explanation below. 4. Academic involvement. (lack of not grounds for dismissal) same as first-year. Counts to ward student-chosen demonstration of proficiency. If six modules, then each counts one-sixth of total, if three terms, then one-third. The departmental test should be on the major, and ev:iuation thereof should he made with rel:r tion to the material thus far covered. by the student PERSONALLY, that being easily determined by 2, 4. For more on evaluation, see below. The rationale for the student-chosen demonstration of proficiency is that a student's relation to a major may be specialized and getting certification for this type of demonstration would aliow him to justify his own course within the major. Diversification Certification by any faculty members outsi& one's major field, at least one outside one'sdi.r ision for two to four demonstrations of ANYTHING. The only requirement if that they be satisfactory to such faculty members. They may be completed any time before graduaion. Graduation Requirements To be determined later on whatever type of success a program may have, or by someone other than I. Requirements for ND Program Academic Involvement Certificationby faculty member. Say three a year (three term system) or five (six module system). These might be the sole determinants for tuition fees. At least one by mid-year (6M--two). Any or all requirements for a degree may be mc1dcntally comp. eted bu non-degree students. When mind soars in pursuit of the things conceiJea in of MeherBaba 1964

PAGE 3

avd)A a po iti n o! mhili m and I, b J tiv lu 1 tht du tl nal phil sophy of w Coli ... E.rg t nyum -bound answers to lh qu )1i ns thr t nju Th prcSid nt is sup h r a r th trust es, th ( ulty, th ud nts, rh eJCterior community w ay, > I h s d, th t rh function ol v. Coli g lS.,., th t ctics of N w o I o w Coil r ) c menu m anm phil ophi s, all must yi ld to ti n to rh scrutiny accord <.1 to xt n ion a) ,1, lti n b d n wh t w d At w oil g w do most { th' foil wing: (I) Att mpt to m kt: iliibl --ln ary ing w ys--thtalent 1 nc ms, rud1t10n and d dtc at ion of relathel 1 numb n I bwnans known as "f ulty", paid fort h ir pres nc obligated (to som degr ) to shar th m d s \'o'ith th rc t f th c rnmunity. (2) Att m t t p id th "t ol "boc*s, oumals, machin s, buildings, laboraorles, etc. 1 which some flnd help u1 to 1 am n (3) Anempt t guide xperienc d people by indlcatin learning, as of lm odious to the free man as utopianism is to the pragmatist. (A stud nt wrote me: "It P' C\ College) lS getting to be neither a:ademic :ily excellent ( lool< at some of the dwnb p op)e y,bo arc r.escntlv at w o rk on some rc:ilv dumb theses), nor rclcv. ant to the pressing concens of the moment, either phil. opbically or in the content of the courses or the ap >roaches taken to them, en aged in finding soluti n; to the problem of the academic community in the new Ar adia." The contem l)!at ion of anv onP. two nr 'Ill of these as unioue "Ob JeCtives" r suit s in the almost certain recognition of the limi at ions!!!!)' would put on ew College as an environment for learning!) I woultl conclude by a somewhat di!lerent contemplation of alternatives. Most of us--perhaps all of us-ar m fact here because we are pcrwns, indif iduals, each with his own sets of assumpticns, abiliti s, lim its and feelings. We are here, presumably, either because or in spite of the public[l. stated natu.re of the college and e t a y (or do not stay) here because we c ither accommodate ourselves to e several aspects with which we dtSagr e, trying. in the proc ss, to change those we can identify as being susccptit-le to or, each of th latter yi lds to change, we cross it off our list ;md begin to worl< on the next and we may end up with no list, happf, or with no change, unhappy. When the bal ce of anxieties or frUSfl'ations about failu.re to reaches given point, we still more alternatives, includinR the of non-reason for r ason the introduction of a "new" phenomenology for ilS moribund predecessor and a renewed effort to contrive a reality into which it may fit. lf, how ver, we do .!!2! .ttain within th realm of r ality, w lo our standing a rational humans and join the ranks of those Jor whom there are in fact other institutions. am, by acc1dent o! history--to some extent--the President of New ColleP!e. As s uch. 1 can d o 3 f v thmg 1 a very few, r ally, t o help change the realities. J can state, a> 1 once did, that I do not believe e.xpiri nee alon is a substitute tor (or Ltie equaf of) knowfedg tfiat a coll' is a community d-s scn dfor le ming and constructed on a set of assumptions which make n ccssary at le. st minimal efforts to cvalu:te the degree to which learning has i.n fact taken place. f\nd that a college--particularly this college--can 3) a \'cry long blurring the lines between the ademic" and th "non-acad mic" but will probably expeadmore effort l.n trying than the results will be worth, if the movement toward a commodati on is--s is usually the case--all in one dlrectiop. rather i.n both. lean and have sad that New College is the most open college community I know, apen to change, to variety, to cxperimenlatiOJl and irulovation. but I c:JJ ;add, I have often ;added, that change, vari ty, exoerimPntation md innovation ar h r d to ff i. d man din ofenergy and cr atJVity and, a ain, are Ultimately po:i!iible the io.stitlll:ion 1s inn vati e but becauu the peopl in it arc wlllng and able to see ways to ch:nge, within the limits imposed by what V'r be th realities of the structu.re of the institution. The ultimate iss U-d struction, not self-denial. The total n:tlllation of self includes th c nald ration o( one1s limns. We usc oo a useful symbol but w can n ith r achi v nor it. Thos arc part of our limits as humans. It is uncomforablc to cataloll al of them--e p cially our own but a short list is usu .. lly helpful, if only bee usc th list of humanpot nti ls IS so rnu h 1 ngcr. Th t i, il a w y, how lsc 'ew ColleR Our limitat on do xist, but our pot ntal for a g,ood, a human, a lo in& community o!Jeamint; lsstiJl gr at r than our pot ntla l for evil, ct or hac r c this wer n t s most of us would not b her II t vcr h com oth rwlsc, mv of us will nd :Jloultl li!:IV HelloEqua.r i on: APPLE SENSORY OVERLOAD I m splltting for home (Plttsburo) o (signed) Adomites LEFTWINC BARBARIAN SHEEPHERDERS of the Catalyst crookswinging edirotial staff ......... .. # 1. Ivan 2 Moody 1 3 K 1 this w eks resoW'Ce people ......... ... Frank typist phalanx .......... .. ....
PAGE 4

c mitt poll, the Conference will con ider the que t ion of the nature of the dec structure t C befor hearing and discu in the actual proposals of altern te educational structures for third term and next year. The proposal for the Conference was to be presented t the Fa ulty Meeting Wedne day afternoon, but, due to an Unforseen Contingency, the facul t y chose not to consider it (or the re t of its agenda). lb'l ...... saaor A LOClA O R HUMPf Y J.s i ulty 1 ft K 11 I r g 1 to b y S A k AiOTA r J d Flow r Shop -11;::. .:)c:. -11;::. .,_. I 1 NA M E JU lOR E TERPRISE CO : 156 OLI ER ST N TO AWA OA. I 1 ADDRESS P EASE. SE 0 E QUILLS @.25(' EA PlUS 1 HA 0 I G CHG 1 CITY ST TE -1c,:. : A ( E XTRA SAVI NGS 5 QUILL PE. S 00) 120 ---------------------------------------------------------------