University of Virginia Library

C. Stewart Sheppard

Warns Of 'Cult Of Mediocrity'

Profile

By CINDI STUART

"The faculty and students
here work very closely
together. We get to know each
student in terms of his
potential and performance."

Although the number of
applicants to the school
increases each year, restrictions
are placed on enrollment, so as
to maintain the community.
An increase in the number of
admitted students would
"Jeopardize the essential
quality in graduate education
the close interchange
between teachers and
students."

The importance to Mr.
Sheppard of students and
teachers getting to know each
other is demonstrated through
the numerous dinner parties
that Mr. and Mrs. Sheppard
have had for students at their
home on the Lawn. During the
few months the Sheppards
have been in Pavilion IV, they
have entertained about 1000
people. "We like being involved
with people, particularly
students."

Despite an expanding
University, C. Stewart
Sheppard, Dean of the
Graduate School of Business
Administration, is able to
emphasize a "close interchange
between students and faculty"
as a "policy we will maintain."

Mr. Sheppard, who recently
undertook his duties of office,
has been a professor of
Business Administration at the
University's Graduate School
of Business Administration
since 1961. Although the size
of enrolled students has
increased from 59 during its
first year to a present total of
259, one feature of the school
has remained unique.

CD/Jay Adams

Dean C. Stewart Sheppard

Since he has a very little
detectable accent, it is
surprising to hear Mr. Sheppard
break into a Welsh dialect. He
was born in Caerphilly, Wales,
and came to the United States
upon receiving his B.A. from
the University of Wales.

Soon after Mr. Sheppard
received his M.B.A. from New
York University, World War II
broke out and he enlisted. "As
long as I was going to stay (in
the U.S.) I felt I had a right to
help out in the war effort."
Following five years service in
the Army, he returned to
school and obtained his Ph. D.
in economics from Columbia
University.

Education differs between
American and Welsh, or
British, universities in that
Britain places more emphasis
on developing technical as well
as liberal skills. This provides
greater opportunities for those
of all capabilities and interests
rather than forcing many into
the college-mold.

"To go to a British
University might be considered
more of a privilege than a right
than it might be considered
here. We believe in education
of the masses whereas in
Britain at the university level,
they subscribe to the notion of
education of the intellectual
elite. Those who do not have
the interest for the liberal arts
and sciences master technical
skills."

In further comparing
educational systems here and
in Britain, Mr. Sheppard
questioned the importance of
community and junior colleges
rather than technical colleges.

"I believe the community
college approach, while it
might fill a need, is
nevertheless a consolation prize
for the education of those
without the interests or
capabilities who might be
better served by a technical
school."

"In many respects, junior
colleges are abbreviated
versions of the full-fledged
four-year college. I question
the advisability of diverting our
resources to that form of
abbreviated education when
they could be put to
constructive use towards
practical skills."

Mr. Sheppard favors more
of the European approach to
education where there is a
bridge between technical and
four-year colleges, permitting
the student to switch from one
to the other, should his
interests change.

"Our educational system is
so highly structured that it
loses its flexibility, the
interchange between technical
and liberal studies."

We are in danger, continues
Mr. Sheppard, of "developing a
cult of mediocrity," where we
establish a least common
denominator which avoids the
penalty of failure - everyone
should get a medal, should
graduate, etc."

"So much attention is given
to the underprivileged, and I
subscribe to it. I think we
should continue to help, but
not at the expense of so
leveling out the masses. We lose
sight of the excellent student
who needs continuing incentive
to advance."

In comparing the benefits
of undergraduate and graduate
degrees, the Dean notes, "The
undergraduate degree makes
you immediately employable,
yet the challenge remains as
you advance in a career to
acquire the skills of a generalist