1978-09-06; Central Michigan Life

              }lume60,No.4
Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48859
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Wednesday, Sept. 6, 1978,
Gen ed'provides
learning for living
byPETEENGARDIO
LIFE Ass't News Editor
For the most part, the
significance of the newly implemented General Education
program will be lost to the
majority of CMU students.
To sophomores, up-
perclassmen and most transfers,
the academic changes are indirect. To incoming freshmen
the changes are un-
distinguishable.
But the General Education
plan, which contains a required
30-hour core of University
Program courses and a set of
competency requirements,
essentially has changed the
academic face of the University.
Although it currently affects
only one-fifth of CMU's 16,300
students, the general education
program is an academic innovation of monumental impact
at CMU.
General education—its whys, its hows, its
future—are studied in a group of articles on pages
10 and 11 of today's CM LIFE. The stories, prepared
by Tony Dearing, LIFE editor; and Pete Engardio,
LIFE assistant news editor, hopefully will provide an
insight into CMU's General Education program.
With the program, the
realization of an active dream on
campus since the mid-1960s,
Central is making the transition
from an increasingly careers-
oriented institution to a multi-
discipline school; from a "what
to learn" education to a "how to
learn" education, in the words of
one of its designers.
The program is designed to
guarantee that by the time
students make it through the
undergraduate level here, they
will have been exposed to a
range    of    humanities    and
sciences, as well as "methods of
inquiring and thinking."
They also should be at least
adequately "competent" in
written and spoken English and
mathematics.
"We want to educate people
so they will educate themselves
beyond the University," says
Academic Senate Chairperson
Eunice Way.
The program represents the
labor of CMU faculty since 1972,
when a summer task force
drafted the first proposed plan.
(See "General ed—" page 18)
A-Senate will review
course load in majors
-CM LIFE PHOTO BY STEVE FECHT
The long Labor Day weekend unofficially marks the end of the summer season. But while
there is still sunshine, students and faculty will attempt to take advantage of the pleasant
climate. Passers-by enjoy the warm afternoon breeze blowing through the courtyard in
front of Warriner Hall.
byPETEENGARDIO
LIFE Ass't News Editor
In a move which could have sweeping impact on
the academic focus of CMU, Academic Senate
Tuesday decided to re-evaluate requirements of
all academic majors.
« In light of expanding major course loads, which
Some senators believe are making education in
some CMU programs too specialized, Senate
instructed the University CUrrleulum Committee
to examine all majors "descriptively and
prescriptively."
The deadline for the UCC's report to Senate
was set for October 1979.
The inquiry could delve into the basic question
of whether Central should offer a "professionally
oriented" education or a "basic" education to its
undergraduate students, depending on how the
UCC tackles its new task.
"This report may start us thinking on what
kind of academic institution we want," Frank
Stillings, dean of the School of Fine .and Applied
Arts, told Senate.
The  Senate  action  immediately  followed  a
debate over a proposed increase of the accounting
major from 54 to 57 required hours, which Senate
eventually approved.
In supporting the UCC motion, several
senators cited the need for establishing principals
on how the size of majors should be decided.
"The paradox involved is we don't necessarily
have any benchmarks to measure against," Louis
Ecker, industrial education professor, said. "The
UCC should develop some criteria to measure
that (size of majors)."
Kendall Folkert, past Senate chairperson and
author of the motion for the UCC to "study the
make-up and total credit hours" of majors, said it
is time to determine "what degree of
specialization belongs in an undergraduate
program.
"We now have majors which range from 30 to
66 hours (of required courses) with no reasons on
why they are set that big," Folkert said following
the meeting. "One by one, over the years, major
requirements are raised for those who need it."
(See "Senate—"page 2)
ong resigns
d head south
Burney Long, assistant vice president for plant managment,
esigned his position to take a similar job in a southern resort
lex.
ng, whose resignation becomes effective Oct. 15, will become
tor of engineering for the Cloisters Resort on Sea Island off the
of Georgia.
Cloisters, Long will be overseeing engineering operations for a
lilding complex, including a hotel, beach club, riding stable and
|ges.
s actually quite similar to a college campus," Long told CM
3 Tuesday afternoon. "The job won't be too much different from
I'm doing right here."
nine-year employee of CMU's Physical Plant, Long announced
isignation late last week.
ve been here nine years and had begun to get a little restless,"
said of his decision to leave CMU. "I'm originally from
siana, and I have had ambition to move south. Sea Island was an
I couldn't refuse."
a Island Co., which owns Cloisters, found Long's name in a
' register publication and invited him for an interview early in
ist. Long was offered the job last week,
thought about it a couple days and then accepted," he said. "I'm
|ng forward to a new interest, a new place to live."
>ng joined CMU as Physical Plant director in 1969 after serving
Jars in the U.S. Coast Guard. He was promoted to assistant vice
[dent for plant management in June.
(See "Long—"page 18)
—Campus Campaign underway with $75,001
goal for contributions, page 3
-Clarke  Historical^   "Wild  West Room
salutes Custer, page 8
—Soccer   team   makes   debut,   page   19
Hard-sell not his style
Recruiter tells it like it is
byMARYVANBUREN
LIFE Staff Writer
Anyone who drops in at the Army Recruiting Station, 1222
S. Mission St.,may be in for a surprise. There are no hardbitten bulldog-faced recruiters here.
Instead, you are greeted by Staff Sgt. Victor Burdick, 27.
Apart from his youth, one would expect the usual hard-sell
tactics from Burdick. But he said that's the last thing he wants
to be known for. So, aside from the regular media advertising,
he said he doesn't in any way actively pursue likely candidates,
That means no phoning homes or sending letters.
It doesn't sound like a formula for success, but Burdick has
made it into just that. He is the top Army recruiter in the
state, with about 55 new recruits last year. Ten percent were
from Central.
One and one-half years ago, Mount Pleasant had the
reputation of being one of the worst recruiting areas in the
state, said Burdick. Since then, he has obviously turned things
around.
His approach is simple. "Once the kids do come in on their
own to talk with me, I am careful to tell them the truth about
the Army's programs," explains Burdick. "And I never make it
sound better than it is - unlike other recruiters."
Neither does he try to pressure them into quick decisons, he
added. One student went in every few weeks for more than 14
months before he finally joined the service.
According to Burdick, education is one of the things the
Army stresses heavily. Project Ahead is one of the best
examples of this concern. Under Project Ahead, students can
serve in the Army and attend school at the same time. The
Army will pay up to 75 percent of their tuition.
As for college graduates, Burdick said, "The Army is very
eager to accept those persons who have earned degrees. They
will be granted immediate advancement in almost all cases."
Burdick says he has gained many advantages from his seven
years in the Army. "Besides helping to pay for my education,
the Army has been a wonderful experience as far as travel
goes. Among other places, I've been stationed in Washington,
D.C, Alaska and Germany. If it hadn't been for the Army, I
probably never would have gotten there." ''
Burdick did not join the Army intentionally, but was drafted
in 1970. After his term of service Was over, he re-enlisted and
has been with the Army ever since.
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