University of Virginia Library

Student Participation Needed;
Committee System Examined

There is some hope, however, of
students being admitted to the
committees of the Faculty's of the
various schools. The Faculty of the
College of Arts and Sciences is
probably in the process of setting a
precedent for the faculty of other
schools to follow. At the December
faculty meeting, Fredson Bowers,
Dean of the Faculty, in the College
introduced a motion that would set
up a committee to study the
feasibility of students on faculty
committees. The motion was passed
and the responsibility of preparing
the report given to the regular
Committee on Nominations. The
committee is charged with recommending
which committees would
be appropriate, suggesting the number
and function of the students on
these committees, and recommending
whether the students
should have full voting powers.

Mr. Bowers stated that the
committee has met twice on this
subject and that an interim report
has been prepared. Meanwhile, the
committee has also asked the
chairman of the different committees
for recommendations. A
full feasibility report will not be
ready until the next meeting in
April, at which time a vote will
probably be taken. "Very optimistic"
was the response given by
Mr. Bowers when asked what his
feelings were concerning a favorable
report by the feasibility
committee.

A brief look at the committees
of the College faculty and their
functions should indicate why it is
obvious and desirable to have
students on most, if not all,
committees. There are now nine
regular committees:

Academic Legislation - (2
ex-officio, 8 elected members)
Considers proposed legislation pertaining
to curriculum, and academic
standards; studies proposed new
rules and courses and makes recommendations
concerning them to the
faculty; advises the Administration
on academic matters.

Committee on Athletics - (3
elected members) - Informs the
Faculty of those activities of the
Department of Athletics that relate
to the functioning of the College.

Committee on Personnel Policy
- (7 elected members) - Studies
general policy with regard to salary
scales, appointments, tenure, and
dismissals; advises and assists the
Administration on these matters.

Committee on Educational Policy
- (8 elected members) -
Studies educational policy and
academic standards and makes
recommendations concerning them;
studies curriculum requirements
and all matters of policy with
regard to requirements for major
subjects; recommends the various
degrees to be included in or
excluded from the College offerings.

Committee on Community and
Branch Colleges and Extension
Centers - (7 elected members) -
Studies the functions and objectives
of the Community College, Branch
and Extension programs as they
relate to the College; reports on
academic matters at the various
community and branch colleges and
extension centers.

Committee on Faculty Rules -
(4 elected members) - Interprets
and administers the rules of the
Faculty and, upon petition and
where cases so warrant, modifies
their application in individual cases.

Committee on Special Programs
- (10 elected members) - Actively
supervises programs leading to the
degree with honors; assists and
advises in operation of the Echols
Scholars Program; assists and advises
in establishment and operation
of interdepartmental programs.

Committee on Nominations - (6
elected members) - Presents a slate
of candidates for the elected
committees of the Academic Faculty
and the chairman of each;
tenure on the committee is staggered
so that two members rotate
every year.

Committee on Admissions -
Assists and advises the Dean of
Admissions; informs faculty of
pertinent admissions policies.

There would probably be no
objection to having student representation
on all committees except
the Committee on Nominations.
Some questions might be raised
about the rules committee because
of the very personal nature of some
of the cases it handles. But students
on the Judiciary and Honor Committees
deal with such personal
cases routinely.

A third area of possible committee
involvement by students
exists within the various departments
of each of the schools. For
example, there are Curriculum
Evaluation Committees with students
on them in both the English
and Government and Foreign Affairs
Departments of the College.
Full student involvement has not
been realized on these committees;
students would be well to participate
more actively in the
Departmental committees that now
exist or create committees if they
don't exist. Many student complaints
can be resolved through
channels at this level.