University of Virginia Library

Council Picks April 13
For University Forum

By Barry Levine
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

After University President Edgar F.
Shannon notified the Student Council
Tuesday night that a suspension of classes
to discuss "the future of the University"
was "not feasible" the Council unanimously
decided to request the University
to allow the discussion to occur on April
13, Founder's Day.

Mr. Shannon replied to the Council's
request for the suspension of classes,
originally made by former Council
President Bud Ogle, by saying that the
deans of the schools "expressed the
opinion that the proposed discussion
... by the whole University at once
would not be productive, and that
suspension of classes is generally not
feasible, and for some schools quite
impossible. "He suggested that a Saturday
might be more appropriate.

Several Council members expressed
the opinion that a discussion during the
weekend would be overlooked by most of the
University. "A University is supposed to be a
place of reflection, particularly self-reflection,"
said Councilman Tom Breslin.

"Nothing," he added, "would be more of an
opportunity for self-reflection that something
like this."

Open Forum

The discussion between students and administrators,
known as the Open Forum, would
include topics related to the future construction
for the University, the implementation of
coeducation, the admission of black students,
and the restructuring of the academic system.

The Council had first suggested March 4 as
the date for the Forum, but, in light of Mr.
Shannon's reply, Council Vice President Kevin
Mannix moved that it be held in conjunction
with Founder's Day.

The Council itself - took several steps
concerning the direction of the University.

Going beyond Mr. Breslin's motion recommending
pass-fail system for first- and second year
students, the Council passed a motion by
Ed Finch, representative of the School of law,
for the faculties to "study and report on the
possibility of instituting a pass-fail system for
all students."

Mr. Breslin's motion was originally aimed at
students in their first two years. He stated that
this was because the first years are "unspecialized,
in which students are shopping around
for a major. Dean Ern has assured us that he
admits only those who are capable of
successfully completing their education. They
would be able to explore the areas available
without having the totally unnecessary pressures
of grades."

Psychological Study

Mr. Breslin cited a psychological study which
said that the pressure often reduced college
students "to the level of a neurotic."

Yet several representatives said they felt the
motion did not do enough. "From my
viewpoint as both a student and a teacher," said
Judy Wellman, representative from the Graduate
School of Arts and Sciences, "I think that a
drastic change is needed in the entire
educational system."

One councilman reported that the School of
Engineering had been considering a pass-fail
system for all elective courses, but dropped the
plan when results from an experimental
pass-fail course showed that the students were
lackadaisical in their performance.

Mr. Breslin replied that since only one such
course had been made available to the students,
and all others still used the grading system, the
experimental course was the only relief from
pressure. "Thus," Mr. Breslin said, "the single
course had defeat built into it."

The controversial plan to build a complex
composed of the Law School, the Judge
Advocate General's School and the Graduate
School for Business Administration (GSBA) at
a site near Copeley Hill was discussed at length
by Rick Bineke, a first-year law student.

They maintain that the move to Copeley
Hill, which is behind University Hall, would
lessen the interaction of these law schools with
the other schools.

Sites For Facilities

In reply, the Council passed Buzzy
Waitzkin motion to have the Master Plan
Committee investigate the possibility of the
removal of the military instructional facilities
from the heart of the University...[and] to
investigate the possibility of new construction
[for the Law School-GBSA complex] in the
area of the amphitheater or other more
accessible sites."