Anti-Nukes
Education Urged
Campus Digest News Service
With all the talk around the coun
try of a grassroots movement against
continued nuclear weapons develop
ment, some educators are accusing
colleges and universities with not
paying enough attention to the threat
of nuclear war.
Yale University professor of
psychiatry Robert Lifton says there is
a wave of concern about nuclear
weapons education and very little
discussion has come from students or
faculty on the subject.
At a recent gathering in
Washington, Lifton and other
panelists called for widespread
academic involvement in debates
over arms control, disarmament, pro
liferation of nuclear weapons and the
threat of nuclear war.
The panelists agreed that the issues
of nuclear war were beginning to
generate interest in U.S. colleges and
universities, but that it's a belated in
terest. They pointed out the interest
did not come from within the institu
tions themselves.
The tremendous public outcry
building around the country,
especially in local governments, has
been credited with bringing the
nuclear freeze movement to national
attention.
At colleges and universities, such
attention has led to teach-ins, spon-
"Philosophers"
Roundtable
By Phil Intrieri
What club has no charter, no budget,
no president, has an office located in the
smoking section of the Lion's Den? What
other than the Drunken Luncheon Socie
ty? This club meets informally about
every three weeks at local bars and
restaurants. Its purpose, according to
"corresponding secretary" Ed
McGovern, is "to promote an at
mosphere of intellectual stimulation
through exploratory conversation." I
suppose that means they get drunk.
"Not really," says Ed. "A few drinks
helps loosen the conversation. Of course,
some get looser than others." The attrac
tion is not just the alcohol, though, as Ed
points out.
"Actually, we're more of a debating
club than a drinking club. We've discuss
ed everything from adultery to the
Falklands crisis. In fact, our board of
directors (which seems to include almost
every member) was thinking about
changing the name. Instead, we've
decided to just go by the initials D.L.S.
This can be interpreted as the Debating
Luncheon Society."
How did such a distinctive club get
started? As Karen Grimm remembers,
"The founding members met in Dr.
Bressler's Constitutional Law class. One
day we decided to go out for a drink. As
our meetings became more frequent,
members began to bring friends. The
club's constitution was implemented by
verbal agreement one afternoon at
Marabella's."
The verbal constitution is one clue to
the club's informality. In fact, there are
sored by the Union of Concerned
Scientists, at 150 campuses last fall.
As a result of those meetings, a new
organization was formed called the
United Campuses to Prevent Nuclear
War. The organization sees itself as a
coordinator of a national education
directed at preventing nuclear war.
Another 250 colleges and univer
sities are scheduled to hold teach-ins
this spring, and the organization
plans on even more activity this fall
near election time.
A spokesman for the organization
said people may see demonstrations
in the streets again, similar to those
recently held in Europe. But he warn
ed that mass protests may not be
enough, and may not even be useful.
The question of academic objectivi
ty was raised at the Washington con
ference with some concern about mix
ing educational advocacy of political
positions. Many educators do not
think their role is one of indoctrina
tion, but rather of giving understan
ding of a complex issue.
Still, panelists called for ap
propriate passion in the university
setting. Yale's Lifton said that a com
bination of passionate opposition to
nuclear weapons and rigorous
scholarship and research on their ef
fects on modern society would result
in their intellectual work becoming a
significant moral and political act.
tew rules. One rule is that no one is per
sonally insulted while debating. Another
rule, as Karen jokes, "is to read books
with small print and big words."
Another clue to the club's informality
is the fact there is no president. There
are, however, co-chairwomen—Carol
Sherman and Kerrie Bjorkstedt. The
duties of a co-chairwoman, as Carol
outlines, "are to coordinate meeting
times so they fit into the members' work
and school schedules. We also bring up
topics for debate and decide which bars
and restaurants to meet at."
Kerrie claims the job has become more
complex as the D.L.S. membership has
grown. The club became popular, accor
ding to Kerrie, "because a lot of us came
back to school after starting but not
finishing our education. Some of us pur
sued other interests after high school."
Kerrie, for instance, became an R.N. and
was a homemaker for 12 years before
deciding to earn a behavioral sciences
degree at C. C. "It just seemed natural
for us to get together," she explains.
But the membership includes those
who've gone directly from high school to
college also. One such student, Tony
Magaro, describes why the D.L.S. ap
peals to him. "Not only do I like the
debates, but I enjoy the parties and pic
nics, too."
Whether you call it the Debating Lun
cheon Society or the Drunken Luncheon
Society, it seems that this club will be
around for a long time. In fact, Ed is sure
that clubs like the D.L.S. are popular
everywhere. As he reflects, "I'm sure
it's a worldwide organization in one form
or another."
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SLATED
CHANGES
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As you're probably aware, the Univer
sity is moving to a new academic calen
dar in the fall of 1983. The early semester
calendar, which Penn State has adopted,
is used by more than half of American
colleges and universities and by many in
stitutions of higher education with which
Penn State can be compared. Changes
needed to make the calendar transition
are proceeding as planned and the
changeover will take place as scheduled
in the fall of 1983.
SEMESTER CALENDAR
The early semester calendar will
divide the academic year into two equal
semesters. In each semester, you'll have
fourteen weeks of instruction plus an
Orientation and registration period and a
final examination period. The summer
session will include eight weeks of in
struction plus Orientation/registration
and final examinations. An extended
summer session will be available for
special instructional purposes, primarily
for off-campus experiences such as in
ternships.
The Calendar Conversion Council Com
munications Committee is planning a
Semester Transition Handbook to be
available to students and faculty at fall
registration of 1982. The handbook will
provide necessary information regar
ding course changes, new policies, and
procedure changes.
CLASS SIZE
Class size will not increase across the
board. Courses such as English com
positon which require small sections will
keep small sections. Courses now taught
in 300-student sections may be larger, but
the pedagogy of large group instruction
can handle those increases.
COURSE SEQUENCE
Some of the course sequences that cur
rently require three courses will be
restructured to two. To the extent possi
ble, sequence courses will be offered in
both the fall and spring semesters; but,
as is true in the term calendar, fiscal
limitations and campus size may not
allow every sequence course to be of
fered both semesters each year. Every
effort will be made to accomodate stu
dent needs.
I) XVI Di DI Dl'lollo DV) I Dia
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
WILL NOT BE IMPOSED BECAUSE OF
THE CALENDAR CONVERSION. Some
students who would have completed a
degree in two terms may now require
two semesters, but some who would have
required two terms can now complete
their program in one semester. Specific
questions about degree requirements
should be directed to your academic ad
viser. If your adviser is uncertain of
details, contact the office of associate
dean for instruction in your college or the
associate or assistant director at your
campus.
GRADUATION
Commencement ceremonies will be
held at the end of the spring semester
and the summer session. Students com
pleting degree requirements at the end of
the fall semester will have the option of
picking up their diplomas or having them
mailed. They also could choose to par
ticipate in spring commencement
ceremonies.
TUITION
TUITION FOR AN ACADEMIC YEAR
WILL NOT INCREASE AS A FUNC
TION OF THE CALENDAR CHANGE.
However, it will be payable in two in
stallments (one each semester) rather
than three as under the current term
calendar.