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FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 1970
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA
Vol. 93, No. 84
Teachers college:
Administration avoids change
by BILL SMITIIERMAN
Uebraskan Staff Writer
There is a general feeling
that change is needed in the
Teachers College, but the ad
ministration is afraid to make
any change, according to
Teachers College Advisory
Board member Pat Tisdale.
"Most people in the college
feel that real changes are
necessary," she said. "But,
everyone has good ra
tionalizations why they should
be put off."
"There is great potential in
the Teachers College," Miss
Tisdale continued. "But, this
potential is not being used. It's
really tragic."
Miss Tisdale said that the
student advisory board has not
been effective in achieving
student input into the college.
She blamed the apparent
apathy on the fact that many of
the older board members had
become discouraged after
having their ideas rejected in
the past.
The Board worked hard in
past years to change the col
lege's physical education re
quirement, she said. However,
its suggestions were not even
listened to seriously, Miss
Tisdale added.
Because of the lack of action
on advisory board proposals, a
group of concerned Teachers
College . students formed in
January' to research ideas and
discuss what could be done to
improve the college.
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The day after the first
meeting of the group Miss
Tisdale said she was called into
the office of Associate Teachers
College Dean Norman F.
Thorpe, she said. Thorpe
wanted to know everything
about the group.
"There was a lot of suspicion
in the college administration
when we formed our group,"
group member Pat Hickey
said. "I don't really understand
why."
After two months of study,
the group reported its findings
to the college advisory board.
However, the meeting was
poorly attended and by the
time the presentation was over
there were only three board
members remaining.
The group report proposed a
greater advisory board in
fluence on faculty selection. It
also called for inclusion of
courses emphasizing cultural
First
ASUN first vice presidential
hopefuls all claim to have the
leadership potential and stu
dent rapport necessary to make
the office more effective.
Barry Pilger
Barry Pilger, junior, pro
mises to encourage a live-learn
environment in University liv
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good
differences in the college pro
gram. In addition the report called
for inclusion of experience with
children in placement records,
expansion of independent
studies programs, granting
credit for work in the com
munity and giving students the
option to student teach for full
rather than half days.
"These are not radical pro
posals," Miss Tisdale said.
"They are only the first steps
toward better teacher educa
tion." She said that Thorpe told the
students not to worry about the
proposals because things were
already being done in the areas
they were concerned with.
"I feel Ihe group proposals
were effectively put down by
the administration," she said.
"Two months of study went
down the drain."
Miss Hickey, described the
VP candidates speak
ing units if elected to the vice
presidential post.
"I believe that programs
such as faculty live-ins should
be formalized and systemized
so that people will not be afraid
to take advantage of faculty
live-in experiences," Pilger
saiid.
R e 1 a t i onships between
forward passes
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college as "very paternalistic
toward students." She said she
was disappointed with ad
ministration and advisory
board reaction to the pro
posals. "Student input into the col
lege seems to be something just
to be tolerated," she said. "It
doesn't seem the college is ac
tually listening to students."
"One of the real needs in the
college is to make students
realize they can have an ef
fect," she said.
She added 'that the group
plans to make new advisory
members aware of what has
been done this year. If people
who are willing to work are
elected to the Board, it may be
able to have more influence in
the coming year, she said.
Linda Jeffrey, a member of
the board for three years said,
"It has been a very frustrating
time while I was on the board.
It has taken us a long time to
find out how we can work ef
fectively." The board has the potential
to do much more, she said. It
probably will be able to in the
future, since we have learned
how to work better."
Miss Tisdale agreed with
Miss Jeffrey.
Students on the Board have
learned that to do anything im
portant they will have to work
closely with the college dean.
This is one of the complaints
the current board has against
Dean Walter K. Beggs, who
does not meet with the Board.
Group member Peggy Booth
said there is a need for student
members on the college cur
riculum committees as equals
with faculty members.
"I see no reason why
students should not be
represented on these corn
Continued on Page 2.
faculty members and students
could be made less formal by
having more teach-ins, rap
sessions and informal classes
within the living units, he
said.
He said that he will promote
a "low cost or preferably no
cost legal aid service for
students" if elected. "This
would be comparable to a
students civil liberties union,"
Pilger explained.
A student book store, food
store, gas station and low-cost
copying service should be in
corporated by Student Senate
in future years, Pilger said.
"All of these innovations
. could mean a step toward an
independent ASUN budget, one
that is not dependent on stu
dent fees," Pilger remarked.
Pilger pointed to his ex
perience as IDA vice president
this year, his membership on
the Housing Policy Committee
and his involvement in dorm
government as "qualifications
which I believe could benefit
ASUN."
"My involvement in activities
has given me good experience
in front of groups which is im
portant since the first vice
president conducts Senate
meetings.
Bob Pfeiffcr
Bob Pfeiffer, also a junior,
said ASUN executives can best
instigate change "by talking to
people influential people
such as those in the faculty and
administration."
"One thing that disgusts me
Is how people can stand back
and throw rocks and criticize
people without intelligently
talking to them," Pfeiffer said.
Intelligent conv e r s a t i o n
Continued on Page 2
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