University of Virginia Library

Student - Faculty Survey
Urges Curriculum Revision

By Brian Siegel
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

In the opinion of a vast majority
of the students and faculty participating
in a survey by the Curriculum
Revision Committee, final comprehensive
examination policy
should be changed.

The survey, which has just been
compiled, covers all areas of curriculum
at the University. The
purpose of the questionnaire is to aid
the Curriculum Revision Committee
in an evaluation of the University's
academic program. The committee
will use this along with
studies done at other universities
around the nation in forming the
recommendations they will present
to the faculty at a later date.

In addition to the objective
answers on the questionnaire, the
participants were free to comment
upon questions about which they
felt particularly strong. Most
faculty and students favored the
establishment of a seminar program
for all students.

One faculty member stated
"Every student who wishes to do
so, should have the opportunity to
carry out guided research." Another
said they should be limited to
students with a 3.00 average or
above. Student response was equally
varied with many of the
comments referring to systems in
other schools.

Concerning a pass-fail system,
students were strongly in favor of
the idea in one way or another; the
faculty was divided equally on the
question.

Credit towards a degree for
Military Science courses was opposed
by 67 per cent of the faculty
and 45 per cent of the students.
The mandatory physical education
requirement was another of the
questions strongly opposed by both
groups.

According to 70 per cent of the
faculty and 82 per cent of the
students, the final comprehensive
exams should either be abolished or
have optional substitution of a
thesis. It should be noted that all
those students participating in the
survey were degree applicants.

Requirements for foreign language
and English composition were
endorsed in the sample opinions
collected. All other requirements
should be made much more flexible,
allowing students the greatest
possible choice, according to the
survey.

Concerning majors, it was found
that there was a general consensus
in the groups that students should
have the opportunity of declaring
their departmental majors before
their fourth semester of school. The
groups also agreed that the number
of semester hours in the major field
should not be strictly limited.

There were several questions
concerning the academic calendar;
however, there is a separate Calendar
Sub-Committee of the Committee
On The Future Of The University
that is carefully considering
this matter. The Curriculum Revision
Committee will make recommendations
to the calendar sub
-committee, but will not include
this aspect of the University in its
report to the faculty.

The Curriculum Revision Committee
hopes to present its report
to the faculty at its October
meeting. Action should be taken on
it by the next meeting in November,
according to John Moore,
Assistant Professor of Economics
and chairman of the committee.
The major changes in the curriculum
will probably wait until
September of 1971 in order to
institute them at the start of the
semester. It would be possible to
alter minor policies sooner, he
added.

Curriculum changes similar to
those being studied here have
already been instituted at Duke and
Amherst. The effects of these
curriculums, and studies completed
at Rutgers and Northwestern, are
being used by the University
committee in forming its evaluation.