the CAPITOLIST
Vol. 4, No. 2
Herpel Discusses Administrative Changes
Doug Megla, Interviewer
Mr. Coleman Herpel,
College Director
Why was President Oswald
here to meet with faculty?
His purpose was to outline
the general mission of the
University with particular
reference to the Capitol Campus,
which has developed to the
point where it can operate to a
large extent independently
within the general policies of the
University. He said that in
recognition of the achievement
of this status he would create for
Capitol a new position of
Provost—a position of top
leadership for all academic and
administrative matters. He also
asked the Faculty through the
elected Faculty Council to
provide him with a panel of
eight names from which he
could choose four to serve with
three others from other parts of
the University as an advisory
committee On suitable
candidates for ProvOst.
Did you know the President
was going to do this?
Yes, President Oswald had
discussed with us the desirability
of greater independence for
Capitol, as had President Walker
before him. The specific plan for
a Provost was developed quite
recently by the President.
Why are no students on the
advisory committee?
Although neither students
nor staff members will be named
on the working committee,
President Oswald was quite
explicit in saying that the
committee would be charged to
insure input from all segments of
the Capitol community
students and staff as well as
faculty. I believe that he has
structured a useful group to
provide sustained effort over the
period of time that may be
required.
KMLI: WIT* lI HIE MtHIISI
University President JohnW.
Oswald announced at a special
meeting of the faculty on April
14, 1971, the creation of the
post of provost at Capitol
Campus.
The action, President Oswald
said, is being taken in view of
the size and growth of the
Capitol Campus and in line with
development of a master plan
for the University. A similar
position is being established at
the Hershey Medical Center.
The provost, according to
President Oswald, will have full
responsibility for both academic
and administrative aspects of the
campus. He will serve as chief
administrative officer and report
directly to the President.
President Oswald proposed
the appointment of a seven-man
search committee to recommend
candidates for the provost
position which he hoped would
be filled by September, 1971.
At the April 15 meeting of
the Faculty Senate, the Faculty
Council submitted the names of
eight faculty members from
which President Oswald will
appoint four to the committee.
The eight men selected include
COLEMAN HERPEL-Campus Director discusses the role o 1
Provost, with Doug Megla, CAPITOLIST interviewer.
Why make this change at
Capitol?
The Capitol Provost is only
one of several changes
contemplated by President
Oswald to strengthen the
University in all of its
components-University Park,
Hershey Medical, and the
Commonwealth Campuses—and
to acknowledge the changing
status of each of them. The
change at Capitol is not isolated
but a part of a plan for the
University as it goes forward
into the Seventies.
Is there something wrong at
Capitol?
There are probably several
things “wrong” at Capitol! At
least, I know of no
four members of the Faculty
Council: Dr. William F. Lewis
(Chairman of the Council),
Edward V. Trunk, Dr. Duane R.
Smith, and Robert J. Graham.
The remaining four are Dr.
Lloyd W. Woodruff, Dr. George
Gumas, Dr. Wayne Lee, and Dr.
John D. Antrium. The other
three committee members will
be selected by the President
from other areas within the
University Community. The
committee is to be finalized by
May 1,1971.
Dr. Richard H. Heimdel,
Dean of the Faculty,
commented that both he and
Coleman Herpel, Director of
Capitol Campus welcomed the
change and added that they were
expecting and looking forward
to the President’s action
for some time. In response to a
question posed by Lee Levan,
President of the Student
Government Association
concerning student participation
in the selection of a provost, Dr.
Lee stated that the search
committee will be charged with
the responsibility of including
members of the student body
and staff in the selection
process.
"All The New* That Fit*
CAPITOL CAMPUS - MIDDLETOWN, PA
one-including myself-who
finds complete satisfaction with
what we are doing and how we
are doing it. However-, if you
mean, “Is there something
wrong that the Provost is
supposed to fix?”, then the
answer is no. The Provost is to
strengthen Capitol movement
forward in achievement and
service into a new phase of its
development, not to rescue it
from disaster.
Will the Provost change
things?
Surely he will, as he works
with the Capitol community of
students, staff, and faculty and
determines their strengths and
their desires in relation to
University purposes and
BLACK STUDIES
THIS FALL
The University has approved
the admittance of an
Afro-American Studies Option
here at Capitol, to go into effect
next term. It will be
incorporated into both the
Social Science and the
Humanities curriculums.
This program will enable
students to work effectively and
provide creative leadership in
governmental agencies,
community action programs,
and social agencies. In addition,
the Afro-American Studies
option will allow the student
who wishes to pursue graduate
work in Black Studies to do so.
The following are a list of the
courses to be offered in the
Afro-American Studies option,
in both the Social Science and
the Humanities curriculums:
Af.St. 301—Modern Africa
South of the Sahara; AF.St.
310-Black History to the
twentieth Century; Af.St.
. We Print”
resources. What changes will
come, of course, we could only
speculate, about-not a very
profitable enterprise.
How will the appointment of
the Provost affect students?
Favorably, I should think,
although most of the matters
closely affecting students
academic programs, student life,
housing, parking, tuition now
either are under local control or
are dictated by economic
necessities that would be as
compelling to the Provost at
Capitol as to a Vice-President at
University Park.
How does all this affect you,
Mr. Herpel?
It is much too soon to say.
President Oswald, I believe, is
simply conveying to the Capitol
community in particular and to
the University community at
large that here is an opportunity
to,look at the top leadership role
at Capitol in an enlarged version
and to determine who can serve
best in the next phase of
Capitol’s development.
When is the position of
Provost to begin?
The President told the
Faculty he hoped it would be
possible by September 1, 1971,
but he acknowledged that it
might require a longer
time-possibly until December.
Isn’t Capitol already largely
independent?
Yes, it is. The establishment
of the position of Provost
acknowledges this and provides a
basis for formally recognizing
Capitol’s status. I believe the
President intends to complete
the transfer of authority and
accountability for a few
functions not now handled at
Capitol. Policy direction and
certain all-University functions,
of course, will remain in the
Office of the President.
UMMCIK
by Roger L. Hawkins
312- Race and Racism; Af.St.
313- Black
Community; Am. St. 441—The
Negro in American Experience;
Lit. 340-Form and Function:
Black Experience in America;
Lit. 460-Literature in Time: A
Survey of Afro-American Lit;
Hum. 451-Race and
Nationalism in literature: Black
Lit; Af.St. 360-Afro-American
Music Twentieth Century; Af.St.
413 —Black Community
Involvement (3CC units); Af.St.
420-Crisis, Black Leadership
and Social Change; Af.St.
43 0-Black Aesthetic
Expression; So. Sci. or Hum.
498-Special Topics and So. Sci.
or Hum. 499-Independent
Study.
If any student desires more
information concerning the
program of Afro-American
Studies, contact Black Student
Union president Leroy Howell
(944-9047).
Wednesday, April 21, 1971
To Commit
an Act of
Civil
Disobedience
On May l through 5 a small
minority of the American people
(probably no more than 10,000)
will congregate in the nation’s
capitol to commit a crime. Their
reward is uncertain and their
rationale varied, only their
immediate purpose stands as a
point of group identity. Through
acts of non-violent civil
disobedience they intend to
close down the city of
Washington, rallying around the
motto, “If the government
won’t stop the war, the people
will stop the government.” They
will be calling for an end to the
war with the acceptance of the
People’s Peace Treaty; the
discontinuation of the Selective
Service System; the freeing of
political prisoners; a minimum
family annual income ot $6,500;
anti the end of all iorms of
repression against the poor.
These are the facts that the
government will have to deal
with, but there is something here
that the entire nation should
considcr-why has lawbreaking
become an alternative to legal
dissent!
The peace movement has
gone through various stages of
dissent in its ever lengthening
history of attempts to relate to
the government. All of
them-lcttcr writing, lobbying,
legal mass rallies, peace
candidates-have proven
themselves ineffective.
Depending upon legal
procedures they have
accomplished little more than
illustrating the governments
ability to ignore aims that
conflict with established policy.
When faced with the fallacy of
legal dissent there are few roads
open. How unjustifiable a crime
can non-violent civil
disobedience be when it is a
reaction to a government that
has legalized genocide! How else
can a frustrated people express
discontent without resorting to
the government’s
tactic-violence!
Those present at the various
targets that week in May can
best be understood as thousands
of individuals. Their personal
commitment is a result of
personal consideration
unrelated to broader
organizational goals. In violating
their nations law they are
claiming the existance of a more
just order. For most of them the
toleration of certain legal
restrictions is in itself an
effective restriction from
communicating an intolerable
situation. They are out to tell
the government that they are
tired of waiting for
humanitarianism to become a
consideration in its international
and domestic affairs. They have
picked their method-hopefully
the right one.