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Shannon Disdains 'Elitist' Attitude

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By PHIL KIMBALL

University Vice-president and Provost
David A. Shannon recently labeled any
curtailment of proposed expansion as
"political dynamite."

Referring to the pressures that growth
limitation would place on the admission
of Virginia students he said, "If we were
not to grow we would be turning away
qualified state residents, and that's
political dynamite."

"We've already done that in the case of
women," he continued. "We have turned away

women who quite clearly could graduate from
here with respectable records, and if we did this
with both men and women I fear we would be
in trouble with the state."

Mr. Shannon accused students who oppose
growth because of its effects on the quality of
academic environment as being "essentially
elitist."

"If they wanted to go to an elitist school
they should have gone to another institution.
Like it or not, we are a university supported by
the state of Virginia," he maintained.

In a recent interview Mr. Shannon, who is
also chairman of the Future of the University
Committee, elaborated on his views concerning
expansion. He cited faculty excellence and state
needs as the two major reasons for accelerated
growth.

Faculty Excellence

"An expanding university with an
expanding faculty can increase its quality. The
only new appointments one could make if you
have an absolutely static faculty would be
replacements of those who have left, died or
retired," he explained.

"Since the University began to expand in
the early sixties the improvement in the quality
of the faculty has been spectacular," Mr.
Shannon contended.

Referring to several professors in particular
as examples of outstanding faculty who have
been appointed recently, he emphasized that
faculty excellence has a direct influence on the
quality of education students receive.

State Needs

"Another advantage to growing," Mr.
Shannon continued, "is that you are fulfilling
the needs of the state; and Virginia is a rapidly
growing state. There is an increasing number of
high school graduates going to college, although
we are still behind national averages."

"Other state tax supported universities are
growing as well. But even if you admit the same
percentage of the total state pool, because the
pool is growing, you have to admit a larger
number of students," he explained.

Commenting on the effects of growth on
the percentage of out-of-state students at the
University Mr. Shannon warned, "If we
restricted growth of enrollment
drastically, the state taxpayers might say that if
their sons and daughters who have good
academic qualifications were not admitted, why
were we admitting out-of-state students?"

"Our main concern is not parking garages,"
he maintained.

Budget Cuts

Mr. Shannon further stated that the report
of the Future of the University Committee
dealing with enrollment projections through
1980 will not have any effect on the current
budget requests which have been already
submitted to the state legislature.

He did however comment that because of
the split between the republican governor and
the democratic legislature the resulting budget
may be considerably less than anticipated.

"If the legislature cuts back the budget
requests so severely that we cannot accommodate
students and faculty there is a chance that
enrollment figures may have to be revised
accordingly," Mr. Shannon warned.

Academic Enterprise

"The academic enterprise is, of course, the
main function of the University. Granted that
you have physical facilities for the academic
enterprise but the facilities must follow the
academic leads of the students" commented
Mr. Shannon.

"It would be possible then that state would
tell us to reduce the number of out-of-state
students. I understand," he said, "that a few
years ago this was seriously pressed in the
legislature."

In discussing the events surrounding
'University Tuesday' Mr. Shannon asserted that,
in spite of student pressure from the
demonstration, the purpose of the committee
had not altered from being primarily concerned
with academic factors of growth.

"Academics are its main concern; because if
this committee doesn't deal with it who will?
he stated.