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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 1983)
Page 2/The Battalion/Tuesday, December 13, 1983 In pursuit of academic excellence by Dr. Gordon P. Eaton The born The meaning of the term “academic excellence” is one on which there is not universal agreement. It has rather diffe rent meanings for different people. Even among those of us most immediately con cerned with it at Texas A&M, the percep tion of academic excellence is often quite different. To an undergraduate student, the term may imply a consistent degree of excellence in formal classroom instruc tion that, over a four-year span, will pro vide solid preparation for professional practice in one’s chosen field. Often, that student does not see himself as having any substantive role in the maintenance of academic excellence, but tends, in stead, to view himself as just a passive recipient of something provided by others. To a faculty member, on the other hand, the term academic excellence may suggest a high degree of dedicated scho larship on the part of academically well qualified and carefully selected students, as well as a consistent application of academic craftsmanship on the part of one’s faculty colleagues. A third party, the graduate student, may look far less to formal classroom in struction than to keenly analytical and vigorous seminars in which he learns as much from his student peers as from the faculty, and to a first-rate bench research experience in the laboratory or clinic. Can Texas A&M be all these things to all these people simultaneously? Is it? Should it try? For many of its 107 years, the acade mic emphasis at Texas A&M was on undergraduate teaching, particularly on preparation for the professions of agri culture, the mechanical arts (engineer ing), and military science. Twenty years ago the undergraduate college known as the Agriculture and Mechanical College of Texas became, in name, a full-blown university. Ten years or so ago, it began to become one in fact. With 36,500 students, we are both an old college and one of America’s newest large universities. We are young and vit al. As a community of scholars, we have enormous opportunity before us. Unlike asks. Ask a major Texas firm’s employee recruiter and in most cases he’ll wax en thusiastic about the virtues of the acade mic preparation provided a student here. Ask an Aggie parent and the response may be much the same. Ask an academician at another institu tion, however, particularly one at a non- Texas institution, and you will, more often than not, get a rather different view. Along with several hundred other I academic institutions in the United States, we were subjected to wide national scrutiny last year when the National | Academy Press published a multi-volume work entitled “An Assessment of Re- ! search Doctorate Programs in the United States.” It was prepared by a nationwide Two things that clearly contribute to national or international repu- union are graduate education and research. IS! Twenty years ago the undergra duate college known as the Agri culture and Mechanical College of Texas became, in name, a full blown university. Ten years or so ago, it began to become one in fact. many other universities around the coun try, we are blessed with substantial re sources. Texas A&M made major contribu-i tions to the state and nation throughout! its past in the preparation of their young j for the professions. It must not now, in its! quest for wider preeminence, turn its back on this achievement and the great contributions we have made (and should continue to make) through undergradu ate teaching. We need not abandon that position of strength as we continue to strive for excellence in terms of our na tional academic reputation. What is that reputation today? As in the case of the term “academic excell ence,” this, too, depends on whom one committee of scholars as an assessment of quality-related characteristics of such programs throughout the country. This comprehensive, largely objective and widely-publicized study was spon sored by an august and respected body, the Conference Board of Associated Re search Councils. The board viewed Texas A&M University as merely av erage. In many fields, 30 to 40 other institu tions around the United States ranked ahead of us by numerical score, among them Caltech, Harvard, MIT, UCLA, Stanford, the University of Texas, Cor nell, the University of Wisconsin and many others. If there was an encouraging side to the findings, we did somewhat better than others in scores related to recent prog ram improvement. Nevertheless, I would hope that 10 years from today we may have the opportunity to see our name elevated to higher levels in the rankings of studies of this kind. Two things that clearly contribute to national or international reputation are graduate education and research. The advancement of knowledge for the bet terment of humankind and the produc tion of scholars qualified for competitive faculty membership at other institutions are traditional measures of a university’s academic excellence. Where do we stand by such measures? Last fall, 17 percent of our 36,000 plus students were graduate students. In con trast, at the University of Wisconsin (another, more widely recognized land- grant institution) 32 percent of an enroll ment of 42,000 were graduate students. Part of the issue has been our growth rate. While the enrollment at the gradu ate level has been rising over the past several years, the number of undergra duates has risen even faster. Therein lies a mild concern if we hope to attain a reputation of excellence in gra duate education and research. Much of the funded research, while conducted under the direction of faculty, is carried out by graduate research assistants. In the area of research, the Texas A&M University System’s budget recent ly topped $90 million, placing it first in both the state and the region and also The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member ot Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor Rebeca Zimmermann Managing Editor John Wagner The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper City Editor Patrice Koranek for students in reporting, editing and photography clas- Assistant City Editors Kathleen Hart, ses w,thin the Department of Communications. Stephanie Ross Questions or comments concerning any editorial mat- News Editor Tracey Taylor tcr sh °t‘ld be directed to the editor. Assistant News Editors Susan Talbot, Wanda Winkler Editorial Page Editor Kathy Letters Policy Wiesepape Sports Editor . . Donn Friedman Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in Assistant Sports Editor Bill Robinson length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. Entertainment Editor Shelley Hoekstra The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for Assistant Entertainment Editor Angel style and length, but will make every effort to maintain Stokes the author’s intent. Each letter must also be signed and Photo Editor J°hn Makely show the address and telephone number of the writer. Staff Writers Robin Black, Brigid Columns and guest editorials also are welcome, and Brockman, Bob Caster, are not subject to the same length constraints as letters. Ronnie Crocker, Bonnie Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, Langford, Christine Mallon, The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M Uni- Kav Mallet Sarah Oates versity. College Station, TX 77843, or phone (409) 845- Michelle Powe, Lauri Reese, 2611. Dave Scott, Kelley Smith, Karen Wallace Photographers Michael Davis, Bill Hughes, Katherine Hurt, The Battalion is published Monday through Friday Eric Lee, Dean Saito during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holi- Cartoonists Paul Dirmeyer, day and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are Scott McCullar $16.75 per semester, $33.25 per school year and $35 p>er - - . . - - full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Editorial Policy Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting news- 77843. tpaper operated as a community service to Texas A&M United Press International is entitled exclusively to University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions ex- the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited j pressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or the to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein • author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of reserved. Texas A&M University administrators or faculty mem- Second class postage paid at College Station, TX bers, or of the Board of Regents. 77843. placing it among the top 20 universities nationally. Such a measure is, to some degree, simplistic, as well as materialistic. A large fraction of that budget is for research in the area of agriculture, for which we are well known and as befits a significant land grant research institution. We are now embarked on an effort to try to increase funding in other areas of expertise in order to place us in a competitive position dollar-wise in other areas in addition to agriculture. Three fields currently lead the way: chemistry, engineering and oceanography. Clearly, the significance of our re search findings will ultimately be far more important than the dollars spent on them. In some fields of endeavor, budgets are quite small, but the work re ceives extraordinary national attention. One such field is nautical archaeology. Another is history. Several of our colleges here at Texas A&M are carrying heavy teaching loads at the undergraduate level, and this bodes well neither for the undergraduate students not the faculty. Students in these colleges are not getting the kind of per sonal instruction and careful attention that they used to get at this university and for which the university is so well-known locally. Management of enrollments may be our only solution to this problem over the short haul. What of the future? What are we to do? At its May meeting, the Board of Regents accepted a set of comprehensive review and planning documents entitled Academic Report. In it, the Task Force on Academic Institutions compares con ditions at Texas A&M University with those at other preeminent universities, primarily as a basis for making recom mendations for improvement here dur ing the remaining years of the present century. There was agreement among the task In the area of research, the Texas A&M University System's budget recently topped $90 million, plac ing it first in both the state and the region and also placing it among the top 20 universities nationally. Force stated the belief that theunitu a must increase graduate-level enrol n j Ue , and step up research activity,panioi ^ards in the area of basic research. a r ejx jests £ :xem[ The pursuit of excellence initiei rreec; of research is not incompatiblewitl imina teac hing, and we must vigorously4 is a i that fact. The truth is, goodteaclii: impor not possible at advanced levels*ii ; 1 substantial involvement in researd r ° teo1 inquiring and restless mind on thepi ne p” both faculty and student is basicD , xeni | entire process. Thus, the universit mrittee wards each year, at the directionoi , e rs a Association of Former Students,dit >f ma uished achievements in researchu ions, as in teaching. ' The 'iewec force members that the university can reach preeminent status. The Task Force stated the belief that Texas A&M is not as well-known throughout the country for In the process of continuedjn we must look at the entire enterprisi is Texas A&M University anil rx ' ourselves if we are where wemiji 1] and, if not, how we might strivei ■* there. dent ( academic achievement as it should tLcI Though undergraduate education was viewed as of generally high quality, it was suggested that it will be difficult to maintain present levels of excellence un less ballooning enrollments are brought under control. Un We will build toward our areas of academic strength andoi nities. Change is inevitable. Hope! the time the Class of 1987 gatk IdALI campus for its l()th reunion,therai Henry Texas A&M will be recognizedasaBsjoin Hlingf bol of academic excellence the nation. Geter, |ced tc Graduate education was seen as re ceiving too little emphasis. The Task (Editor’s Note: Guest colu Gordon P. Eaton is Provosts President for Academic Attain), PAtJTPrO rykOfAleuys— NEVER MIND 01 START SE emm p« KIPS <ii “On I Hiring br Lent the oour Wade sa K T The < pan, be< Free speech is in danger by Randy McDougal The open exhange of ideas, both in and out of the classroom, should be protected for the sake of individuals as well as the university. I doubt many — if any — stu dents have not been exposed to opinions and contentions they disagreed with. However, disagreement with a speaker does not provide the right to try to curb any person’s freedom of speech. What is the benefit of freedom of speech if it is confined to areas specified according to how a few feel about the subject matter? The whole point of out door speaking is to openly communicate public speakers to go where ik 5 are. The idea is wasted if | forced to search out the speakeitl reader's forum On Dec. 7, an article was printed on the front page of the Battalion (“Limita tions discussed") about the present dis cussion on limiting individuals’ rights to express themselves publicly because of the opposing opinions of a few people. No reasons were given for placing the limitations on where (and when: the arti cle mentioned future considerations for limiting how often individuals can speak) an individual can speak except that a few people disagreed with what speakers have said. We are faced with the qoeiJ . whether or not a true freedon# r will continue to exist on thiscaS have heard many things I d-, since coming to A&M. ButletusoH ! to have the liberty of listening restriction. ideas which the speaker feels people need to be made aware of. The principle is that we are guaranteed to hear the ideas of others as they deem it important enough to tell us publicly. The implication is for (Editor’s Note: Randy McDouf junior majoring in business anal 5 Obviously no one has reported being forced to listen to any outdoor speakers (though we are at times forced to listen to free expression inside the classroom). So why are some students unable to “ignore and walk by” the speakers as the article suggests many students do? I fail to see how allowing public speakers to continue as they have in the past is a problem. The suggestion to limit outdoor speakers poses a couple of major prob lems. First, the limitation is clearly aimed at preachers, or evangelists. Does this mean that all have the right to freedom of speech but some, depending on their views, have more (or less) freedom than others? Certainly this is in conflict with the rights we all share. Fund goals probed Two major fund raising campaigns — all dependent on students’ participa tion and contributions — failed to reach their respective goals during the fall semester. Are students poorer this semester? Could be. But maybe too many organizations are basing their goals on strong student support. Aggies may be generous, but everyone has a limit. Eddie Stoker, student leader of the Christian Children’s Fund, told The Battalion Monday his group’s goal of $25,000 was “reasonable, yet.still de manding.” Though they missed their goal, the students — and there were many involved, from fraternities to the Corps of Cadets — still collected and donated $20,000 in cash and pledges. John Williams, publisher Bryan-College Station Eaglean^ man of the 1983 United WaH pointed to the rainout of threes projects as one reason the student fell short of its goal. Those involveu say a campaif lap wasn’t a problem. AndnU saying their goals were too hi[ concerns The Battalion is the every group with a goal expects to contribute heavily to their# We feel students should f groups because they wantio, cause they feel pressure to meej^ I times unrealistic goal. Taking 3 | tage of the Good Ag syndrome what charity is all about. — The Battalion Editorial