University of Virginia Library

Another Try

Much should have been learned from the
counseling fiasco; at least Student Affairs
officials have admitted their mistakes. We
trust that administrators in Student Affairs
and other offices now realize that they should
no longer hand down decisions as fiats
without consulting those persons-students,
deans and other administrators-who will be
affected by those decisions.

Of equal importance, however, is the
future of the counseling program. Throughout
the recent debate, there has been general
agreement that some changes must be made in
the counseling system. It is apparent that
many persons associated with the program are
not satisfied with the Resident Advisor
system; others object to the police functions
which counselors might fulfill in attempting
to enforce unpopular terms and conditions.
The question which remains, therefore, is what
changes will best answer these valid
objections.

The one-year period for study provided by
the agreement between Irby B. Cauthen, Jr.
and Mr. Williams gives those persons
interested in the program an opportunity to
play a role in formulating a new system. A
reconstituted Committee on Resident Staff
will study possible reforms and make its
recommendations within the next year. We
urge the members of that committee to seek
actively the advice and ideas of other before
proposing any changes. Only then can the
vital second phase of the restructuring be
more successful than the first.

The decision to delay implementation of
the new counseling program, announced
Friday by Vice President D. Alan Williams,
brings to conclusion the first phase of
attempts to restructure the University's
counseling system. Although it took more
than three weeks for him to respond to the
objections of many counselors, resident
advisors and deans, we are pleased that Mr.
Williams has finally reacted in a manner which
should benefit the University as an academic
and social institution.