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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1969
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA
VOL. 93, NO. 5
Enrollment decreases
in ROTC curriculum
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Centennial College
by Gary Scacrest
Nebraskan Staff Writer
After much publicity, the University
of Nebraska's Centennial Education
Program (CEP) with its 177 un
dergraduate students began 1 1 s
operation last week. Billed as an in
novation that combines an educational
experience -with residence hall living,
the Centennial College got off to a
quick start.
T. E. Beck, one of the full-time
teaching Fellows at the Centennial
College, said he was amazed at how
rapidly a sense of community is
developing at tho College. He com
mented that "genuine inter-relations
between students, both casual and
academic" are taking place. Beck felt
hat the residential aspect of the CEP
m becoming more important than tho
Centennial Fellows anticipated.
Beck felt the residence system of
Ihe CEP "would not emphatically
Isolate the students from the
mainstream of activities on campus."
He explained that freshmen In the
College are already Involved in
University music organizations,
drama activities, athletics,
fraternities and sororities.
lie also explained that the Ccnten
Hul scholars come in contact with
Ihe regular University since they eat
all their meals In the father-Pound
dining room and attend some classes
outside the Centennial Center.
According to Beck, the CEP was
running very smoothly in its first
Foreign policy expert makes NU home
by Sarah Schwledor
Nebraskan Staff Writer
An expert on foreign policy has
temporarily made the University his
sounding board.
He is Dr. William Miller who came
to NU as part of a dlplomat-in-residence
program.
Although his duties do not Include
teaching, he will speak to civic groups
and students about United States
foreign policy.
Miller has served on embassy staffs
in Pakistan, Germany, Colomlbla,
Equador and Panama, lie has also
served on assignments in Washington,
and In South America from 1961 to
1968. He recently returned from
Panama.
"The sore spot In Panama," Dr.
Miller commented, "Is the Treaty of
1903. The Panamanians think it is too
old, too outdated."
A clause of the treaty that caused
most concern was entitled "A Grant
ui I'erpetuity." The clause gave th
week of operation. "We are not aware
of any major problems as of yet,"
he said. "The college might have
problems, but we have not discovered
what they are."
One of the early controversies of
the CEP involves the system of
grading that is to be used. Dr. Robert
Knoll, the director of the CEP, said
"the students are in the process of
discussing what kind of grading
system is advisable."
The Fellows advised the students
of three possible grading systems
the present University system; an
honors, pass, fail system which would
See pictures on page 3
carry respective grades of A plus,
13, and F; and a pass-fail system.
If the CEP wanted to use a pass-fail
system for all its students it woidd
require legislative action by the
University Senate.
Already tho Centennial scholars
have been busy at the Centennial
Center, which comprises Love and
Heppner Halls and the courtyard
between them.
The students have been organized
in small groups in the main Centen
nial Course for the first few weeks
and will concentrate on discussing
their summer reading, writing
autobiographical essays, and studying
movies.
The College has had three guest
speakers already, and throughout the
United Stales sovereignty in the canal
zone.
"The two Issues are United States
sovereignty in the Canal Zone and
compensation paid Panama for use
of the zone," Miller said. "Panama
feels it must be compensated at
modern rates."
Former President Lyndon Johnson
issued a declaration in 1967, en
compassing areas of disagreement,
but negotiations halted and are just
beginning again this year.
Dr. Miller thinks that recent anti
American demonstrations in Latin
America during Governor Nelson
Rockefeller's visit were not directed
at the United States, but at local inef
ficiency. "Rockefeller's stature as the Presi
dent's personal envoy acted as a
lightning rod for dissident elements,"
he said. "The rioting was directed
at domestic dements rather than .
toward the U.S. It was done to em
barrass the local administration."
I'anama was not involved in any
off to a quick start
year will have the services of many
visiting authorities.
The Centennial College will also
make use of movies as an educational
experience this year. The scholars
have already seen two movies: Martin
Luther and Citizen Kane, a movie
based on the life of William Randolph
Hearst.
The CEP is divided into three
divisions the Centennial Course,
language classes, and mathematics
classes. All 177 undergraduates are
participating in the Centennial Course
which carries six credit hours. Most
of the freshman scholars are either
taking mathematics or a language in
tho Centennial College.
Beck explained that the
mathematics is organized on the basis
of independent study and the student
progresses as fast as he can.
"However," Beck said, "the math
program has just began and we prefer
not to evaluate it for several weeks."
The language classes in the CEP
are organized as conventional classes,
but with built-in flexibility. Beck ex
plained that learning how to speak
the foreign language will be em
phasized in the language classes.
"In addition to the class, the
students are meeting with a native
speaker in small groups of five to
six for thirty minutes a week," Beck
said. The language students will also
attend a language lab and hopefully
converse Informally In the foreign
of the demonstrations, so my com.
ments are based mainly on newspaper
articles," he added.
Dr. Miller described the foreign
policy-making process, emphasizing
that policy is a product fabricated
by many people.
"Making foreign policy is a process
by which various elements relate to
a country," he said.
Ambassadors make recommenda
tions based on their view of the coun
try In which they are serving. The
State Department then coordinates
this Information and attempts to form
broad guidelines or general trends.
Related agencies such as the
Cabinet give their views, then private
interest groups that are affected by
the policy have their say and finally
the policy is reviewed by Congress.
Dr. Mllller fett he could not com
ment on how much power should be
given Congress 1 n policy-making
decisions but noted that there "is a
Continued en page
by John Dvorak
Nebraskan Staff Writer
ROTC is again in the news this
fall, but not because of protests by
hippies, intellectuals or radicals.
Classroom rosters indicate a lack
of cadets enrollment in all
branches of ROTC at the University,
and at other schools in the United
States, is down significantly.
Total enrollment in Army ROTC,
according to Col. William W. Gist,
chairman of the department, is 423,
down from 469 a year ago. The
freshmen class enrollment is down
more than a third, from 150 last fall
to about 100 this fall.
The situation is even more drastic
in Air Force ROTC. Where last year's
freshmen class was about 150, this
year's freshman enrollment is down
to 95 and still dropping, according
to Col. Norman B. Hemingway, the
new chairman of the department. The
final deadline for dropping classes
is October 10.
The sophomore class of AFROTC
has dropped somewhat, Hemingway
continued. However the junior and
senior enrollments have remained
nearly stable.
Total number of Navy ROTC cadets
is 132 this fall, according to Capt.
Herschel A. Pahl, chairman of the
department. Last year's total strength
was 158.
The three military leaders are
divided over the reasons for the
enrollment drop.
"I honestly believe ihe current draft
situation hasn't affected the situa
tion," Pahl said. "There is not a shred
of evidence that the draft situation
has affected enrollment."
Nor does Pahl think that Vietnam
hostilities, which appear to b e
decreasing, would affect the NROTC
enrollment.
"The Navy's need for new officers
jvill remain the same unless Congress
cuts down on the size of the Navy
or the number of ships in com
mission," ho stated.
Gist, who like the other military
personnel said he was speaking only
for himself, termed the drop in ROTC
enrollment "just a trend."
"It could swing the other way in
the future," he said. "It may reflect
1nnfuatze with one of the several
scholars who are bi-lingual.
The Centennial Course is described
by Knoll as "an Interdisciplinary
study of a variety of contemporary
problems and their historical an
tecedents, as they are revcolcd in
historical documents, artistic objects,
and Intellectual traditions."
Knoll Indicated that the student in
the Centennial Course will do much
Independent study, but will also work
In small groups. The student will also
be expected to produce periodic
reports on his findings to his teachers
and fellow students.
Knoll, in describing the CEP, said
"the difference between us and others
is that we start with the questions
instead of the discipline. Thus we are
not concerned with departments as
much as with questions."
"The two things we are trying to
do is combine the student's academic
and non-academic life into one ex
perience. Thus we have students liv
ing in the same building in which
ttoey attend class. We hoje their
academic conversations will not stop
when the bell rings."
The theme for the Centennial Course
for the first year is "The Nature of
Change." The work during the year
will be divided into four major
divisions with the students choosing
a topic within one of the four
divisions. The student has much
freedom in choosing a topic as well
as the limit of his study on the topic.
Knoll said that "after an introduc
tory period of a couple of weeks in
which all the students will consider
a number of books together, each
student will select one of a number
of topics related to the nature of social
change. Some of these topics arc
"American Business, 1870-1970", "The
Ideal of the American West,
Crevecoeur to Wright Morris,"
"Institutions and Individuals" and
"The Influence of Slavery o n
American Psychology."
The second major project In the
Centennial Course Is "Stasis: The
Ideal of a Static Society." In this
project students will study some static
society for six weeks.
The third project will be "The
Nature of Environmental Change."
According to Knoll, the students may
elect to study problems related to
physical change, like pollution or
population growth; or they may
choose to consider the influence of
scientific Ideas on the Intellectual en
vironment, like Einstein's theories of
relativity.
In the fourth and last, project of
Continued on page 3
a trend in which students are hesitant
to join anything that is organized."
Gist acknowledged that the Vietnam
War is unpopular with everyone, and
that it may be affecting enrollment.
"It's really difficult to speculate
about the causes of this drop," he
said.
Following the removal of the com
pulsory ROTC for freshmen and
sophomore men in 1963, enrollment
statistics have varied considerably in
all branches of the program.
When the requirement was abolish
ed, there was an immediate 80 per
cent drop, but then a gradual
resurgence showed by 1967. At the
same time, fulltime male enrollment
on the Lincoln campuses increased
from 8,500 in 1964 to about 11,000 this
fall.
The majority of ROTC students are
in a four-year program. However,
each branch of the service had
operated a two-year senior program,
also, up until this year.
NROTC had a two-year program,
which was designed primarily for
transfer students from junior colleges,
Pahl said. The program was recently
cancelled due to lack of interest.
The two-year program, which is still
in the curriculum of Army and Air
Force ROTC, led to a reserve com
mission, just as the four year program
did.
Unless the Army or AFROTC stu
dent is receiving a scholarship from
the military, he incurs no obligation
by attending freshmen and sophomore
classes. During the first semes'.er of
the junior year, contracts are signed
which obligate the student to military
duty for a certain length of time.
In Army ROTC. the obligation is
for two years of active duty, or longer
in case of national war emergency,
and four more years in an active
or inactive reserve unit.
The graduate of the regular
AFROTC program incurs a four year
active duty stint; five years ii' that
student received flight instruction as
an undergraduate.
The NROTC student, must enlist in
the Naval Reserve as a freshman and
serve at least four years active duty
upon graduation.
In all cases, getting out of the pro
gram during the first two years is
strictly a formality. After a student
m alumni
not slowed by riot fears
Fears of campus disturbances have
not slowed donations from University
of Nebraska Alumni as indicated by
the over two million dollars given tha
Unlversiity so far this year by the
University of Nebraska Foundation.
Foundation Vice-President Edward
Hirsch said Tuesday that he has
received letters, however, which say,
"We are giving to you because of
the stable situation at Nebraska," or
"I'll contribute as long as everything
stays quiet."
The pamphlet being sent to pro
spective donors tries to squelch riot
fears. Following is an excerpt:
"It is true that in the Sixties, we
have not had any incidents ap
proaching the 1898 riot, when the
Senior Class's attempted take-over of
the campus resulted in suspension;
or the 1904 epidemic of cheating; or
the closing of the library in 1911 to
undergraduates because of the steal
ing of books; or the recall of tho
Cornhusker Yearbook in 1912 because
it fell in the category of 'obscene,
Spoek talks
at Union
Dr. Benjamin Spock, renowned
pediatrician and proponent of
draft resistance, will appear on
campus Thursday as the first in
a series of speakers sponsored
by the Nebraska Union Talks
and Topics Committee.
Spock will speak In the Union
Centennial Room at 3:30 p.m.
His career began in 1946 when
his first book "The Common
Sense Book of Baby and Child
Care" was published. It has
since sold more than 21 million
copies.
In recent years, Spock has de
voted much time to the cause of
peace in the world a continu
ation of the humanltarlanlsm
tltnt has marked his entire
c ' eer.
In January 1968 he was in
dicted on a charge of conspiring
to counsel, aid and abet viola
tions of the Selective Service
Act and later he was convicted.
In July 1969, however, he was
freed by the U. S. Court of Appeals.
has signed his contract, the situation
changes.
"There have been a few cases
where students want out after signing
their contracts," Pahl said. "In some
cases the student feels he is just not
mature enough for the military. In
other cases he just doesn't like the
program and wants out."
Approval for a student wanting to
void his signed contract must come
from higher authority than Pahl. The
captain uses his judgment in such
cases and makes recommendations on
the student's case. In all cases in
the last year or so, Pahl has recom
mended that students' requests for
disenrollment be granted and his
recommendations have always been
followed.
In AFROTC, each student wanting
to terminate his signed contract must
go through the same procedure. Cur
rently, there is one student attempting
to be released from his contract.
"The case is unusual," Hemingway
began. "The student signed his con
tract on September 11 and came to
class on September 15. On the 16,
he decided he wanted out of the con
tract." Had the student not come to class,
the contract would have automatically
been voided. The investigation of the
case is complete now, and a decision
from higher authority is awaited.
The student, who said he "ju.st
doesn't want to be in the Air Force."
is confident that he will be released
from his contract.
In Army ROTC, the student must
personally make his wishes known to
the chairman of the department, wiio
will then make recommendations to
higher authority.
If the student is not satislied wiih
the recommendation, he may ask for
a board of inquiry, composed of Army
officers not from the ROTC depart
ment, Gist said.
The student may hire counsel, m
helping prove he has legitimate
reasons for voiding his contract. Gist
pointed out that he was hazy on the
exact procedure, since it has never
been needed.
"I know of no senior student who
Continued on page 6
donatiom
lewd, indecent or lascivious book3;
or the parking riot of 1949; or tho
panty raid of 1952."
The two million dollars received so
far this year is nearly six times the
amount received in 1960, according
to Hirsch. Donations come from
alumni, other individuals, companies
and foundations making Nebraska tho
second largest recipient in the Big
Eight behind the University of
Kansas.
Hirsch said that donation request
are usually mailed out to 65,000
alumni by September 1. But this year
mailing was delayed with 2,000 letters
still to be sent.
Although the number of donors is
down 10 per cent from last year
possibly due to the mailing delay
the amount received is slightly
greater than at this time last year,
Hirsch noted.
"It's too early to tell yet, but since
this is a Centennial year, we're hoping
to get more," he said
Foundation President Harry U.
Haynio said this spring, "The Foun
dation Is now the main source of stu
dent financial aid at the University."
Last year the Foundation provided
about $500,000 In scholarships and
fellowships, he said.
Almost half the money donated Is
for research projects particularly in
agriculture. For example:
1) Rockefeller Foundation gave
$124,000 last year for an Agriculture
College project in Columbia, South
America.
2) The Cooper Foundation of Lincoln
announced this spring a $200,000 grant
to be used half for educational an I
research projects and half for ac
quisition of "strategic land."
3) Ford Foundation donated $200.00i)
for an ETV series entitled "The Black
Frontier" which will trace black con
tributions in the settling of the West.
4) A $38,000 grant from the Woods
Charitable Fund is helping to support
the Centennial College, an Innovative
leaching project begun this fall with
175 students.
Tho Foundation Is more than the
middle-man between donor and
University. It Invests money not Im
mediately used as well as money
specified by donors to be Invested.
Its assets total nearly 14.5 million
dollars. The Foundation also assists
in will-making or "estate planning"
according to llaynie.
Last year ll.ooo alumni gave an
average of $10-15 eah.