University of Virginia Library

University Night

Tonight at 8 p.m. the entire University
community is invited to the lounges of the
McCormick Road dormitories for informal
chats over doughnuts and punch. At most
other universities this would sound like either
a joke or, at best, a nice, but unrealistic idea.

Regrettably, it may be that this university
has reached that point also. Those who have
been here several years remember the great
emphasis that was placed on the idea of
Intra-University communications in the era
just preceding the advent of coeducation and
the 1970 strikes and moratoriums. Since that
time, however, there has been a mild but
noticeable decline in student interest in
furthering that communication. As we have
come to accept the inevitability of expansion,
the legislative tide of sentiment against
out-of-state students, and the general
disintegration of the academical village into a
handful of loosely connected schools, we
seem to have resigned ourselves to the
eventual loss of the community closeness that
once prevailed.

It is not necessary for this resignation to
overcome us. The diverse elements that
comprise a university have much in common,
as do the diverse citizenry in a small town.
The idea of gathering faculty, students, and
administrators together is an excellent one
which needs everyone's interest if it is to
flourish.

The activities tonight, called "University
Night" by its sponsors in the Counseling
program, are a welcome opportunity for all
members of the University community to
make new acquaintances, acquire more
information on the academic and
administrative currents of this rapidly
changing university, and express one's own
feelings and opinions.

If this sort of communication is to
continue, it has to be taken seriously. Those
who take it seriously will probably find it
enjoyable, if not, at times, amusing.