University of Virginia Library

Council Begins Study
Of Academic Reform

By KATHY NUNNELEY

Academic diversity and
innovation are the key goals of
the new Student Council
Academic Reform Study
Group. Headed by
fourth-year man Don
Langevoort, the group plans to
research the potential for
academic change towards a
freer, more varied course and
departmental structure.

A comprehensive report on
what a liberal arts education
should be at the University,
including proposals and
projections for academic
improvements, will be
organized by the group and
presented to the
Administration in the
spring. In previous years
this branch of Council has
concentrated largely on
eliminating the language
requirement. This year,
however, they have broadened
their scope and plan to work
for an overall course
revitalization.

Similar to the Brown
University report on academic
change made in 1969, the
Council report will propose a
series of innovations for the
construction of a more flexible
academic system.

At Brown the report
resulted in the adoption of a
"University Department," a
kind of "super" department
including a cross section of
courses relative to one basic
field.

The philosophy underlying
the creation of this department
was that learning would be
more productive in a
problematical and less strictly
informational context.

Courses would be less
oriented towards studying
what has already been done in
a field and geared more
towards preparing the student
with a background necessary to
deal with the problems that
need to be resolved.

Departmental lines have
broken down at Brown and the
academic structure has become
more cohesive and fluid.

The possibility of initiating
some of these reforms at the
University will be studied and
the resulting proposals will be
included in the spring report.
Other changes of particular
relevance to the University will
be suggested.

Mr. Langevoort would like
to involve as large a number of
students as possible in
researching and organizing the
report and encourages all who
are interested in working with
the group to leave their names
with the Council secretary.