PAGE FOUR Editorial Opinion A Study of Term Problems Since its installation in the summer of J9(il, the advantages and disadvantages of the four-term system have been batted around by students, faculty and adrninistra- Now is the time for an intensive study of this system. The University Senate main tains a committee for four-term evaluation. We understand that the Undergraduate Student Government is forming a similar committee. We heartily approve of USG's interest. But we feel that the entire four-term sys tem is a broad and intricate field. We feel that a broad evaluation with yea or nay results is not the most valuable pursuit for student government. During the past two years we have seen problems develop under this system. For the most part they are mechanical problems which can be solved. We feel student government should delve into these problems from the stu dents’ point of -view and work out practical solutions with the faculty and administra tion. The main student problems as we sea them are: FINAL EXAM PERIOD: The four term system began with the elimination of a final exam period-. When this was found undesirable, a three-day optional finals period was instituted. From the student point of view, we think this change can be vastly improved upon. We feel student government should poll Biudeni opinion on this matter and explore the various possibilities for a more equit? able solution. CALENDAR ARRANGEMENT! Thou sands of pros and cons on Thanksgiving vacation, Christmas vacation, late Septem ber term beginning and other calendar eccentricities have been offered by Uni versity associates since summer 1961. Studies and surveys of individual cal endar arrangements have been made when emotions were high. We feel this serves no long-range purpose. Rather a study of the calendar for the entire year should be made. Would beginning the fall term earlier In September allow for a better fall term with turkey at home? Would a later begin ning of the summer term allow a longer break between the winter and spring terms? We would like to see USG delve ob jectively into this problem. CREDIT OVERLOADS: According to Robert G. Bernreuter, special assistant to the president, credit overloading Is causing student mental and emotional stress. USG Successor to The Free Lance, est. 1887 Published Tuesday throuirh, Saturday mornlnir during; the University year. The Dally Collegian ie a student-operated newspaper. Entered as second-class ~nlatter July 5, 1934 at the State College, Pa. Post Office under the act of March *, 1879. ANN PALMER Editor A Student-Operated Neivspaper 58 Years of Editorial Freedom Ws\t Hatty (Holbntan Mail Subscription Priest Member'of the Associated Press THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. UNIVERSITY PARK. PENNSYLVANIA should find whether this is true from the student’s point of view. Can .students complete their required academic work without taking credit over loads? How do the problems vary from college to college? Is the three-year grad uation plan feasible in every college? COURSE ADAPTATION: While the concept of a term system demands concen tration of course material, we are under the impression that some courses were concen trated even under the semester system. Is there a problem with "super-satu rated" courses? Are there areas in which the course material is too great to be hu manly digested in ten weeks? How do stu dents feel? We think this would be a good angle to include in a program of student course and professor evaluation. DISTRIBUTION OF COURSES: Under the four-term system individual courses are offered less frequently than under the semester system. This has posed problems for seniors who are unable to take a course before graduation. We feel US,G should ex plore how courses are chosen for each term. Is there a pattern to when they are offered? Do many students have scheduling prob lems? Could a University-wide system of course scheduling be effected? We feel that specific studies such as these would be one of the most valuable things student government could do at this time. By June, 1964, almost all students who .have attended U»e University under both the semester and four-term plans will have graduated. Now is the time for val uable comparison and practical solutions of these problems. We feel this investigation is so neces sary that we call on the USG Congress Itself to carry through, not with a com mittee or committees of outside persons, but with Congressional committees. With the five proposals we have presented there could be 6-man committees of USG Con gressmen to,head each investigation. The Congressmen are supposedly the 'most interested and informed students. This is a big and important task. We call on them to undertake it. ATTENTION MEN ATTENTION: Male students in Nit tany, North and West Halls and men living downtown. Today you will elect represen tatives from your living area to the student government Congress. . In all cases a sufficient number of can didates are running to make the election a contest. Select that man whom you feel will be able to do the best job. $6.00 ft year HERBERT WITMER Business Manager Behind the Times' Absence makes the heart grow fonder, so they say, and people are beginning to believe it. You can tell by the mournful expres sions on their faces at breakfast that they miss their New York Times. The strike of- 3,000 printers in New York City has caused nine daily newspapers, holding 10 per cent of the nation’s newspaper circulation, to. cease functioning. Now in its 45th'day, the strike has affected thr 'blicati -if The New Yoi Times, The Nei York Daily New The World Te gram and Sun, Ti New York Jou nal-American, T' New. York Her* Tribune, The Ni York Eveni Post, The Nt York Daily Mi ror, The Long land Press and Long Island Star- Journal, Perhaps to some this seems very far away and unimportant, but to the newspaper-reading public right here in State College, as well as “out in. the world,” a catastrophe has occurred. This strike has even affected the in tellectual atmosphere of the Uni versity. Political science profes sors can no longer rely on the "News of the Week in Review” section of the New York Times as the bases of their current events quizzes. I’ve noticed stu-. dents diligently reading the pages Letters Ethnic Groupings of Greeks Hit in American Framework TO THE EDITOR: It was disturb ing, disgusting and humorous to see the ethnic groupings of soror ity rushees in The Daily Collegian on Jan.' 15. Thoughtfully, there were some exceptions. •We call ourselves a nation of people, an American nation, a so called “melting pot” of different nationalities if you wish, but yet we witness on this campus, a microcosm of the cleavages that divide our American “nation” as a whole. In short, the fraternity-sorority system, in my opinion, smells. The fault does not.lie entirely with the coeds, for-their narrow viewpoint is nothing, more than a reflection of their older counter part, the fraternity. But yet, the fault cannot,, entirely, be found here either. The fault lies in the incessant-desire of all of us to emulate and accentuate the schis matic customs'of our forefathers rather than those customs that produce harmony, unity, accord and consensus. The problem of school spirit and pride and national spirit and pride can both be seen as stemming from this same source. Lack of spirit and pride in both. If we, now-, or in the future wish to live up, in. substance rather than mere form, to the term “nation," there is no better place to start than in the University. I am not saying here that the system should be- abandoned.. It does have it good points. The privilege and right given by Nature to Man, to choose his own friends, and to’ choose those with whom he wishes, to sit and Williams Questioned On Source Authority TO THE EDITOR: The.accusa tions which Gomer Williams makes about the behavior of U.N, forces in the Congo require docu mentation. Also, it had better be precise and accurate. There, exists complete, verifiable reports on all U.N. operations. Certain ariti-U.N. grtfups are fond of making charges, the au thority of which is open to .ques tion. r am fully in .accord'.with the suggestion' that food be given to the Congo in place of weapons but must point out that much food is being given. . —Helen M. Fritz Boalsburg TUESDAY. JANUARY 22. 1963 by sandy yaggi of all sorts of newspapers to get snatches of national _ and inter national news. I’ve heard via the grapevine that one professor in timated to his students that he didn’t care which of the'“remain ing” papers they reacT for the course, but that he, for one, had been listening to .the radio quite a bit for his report of the news. One can well imagine the im pact of the strike on a student of journalism. Gone (temporarily, I hope) are the days when the journ prof can assign students to follow closely one of the large newspapers for such things as news play, makeup, and the like. I wonder what a one-time edi tor of this publication who sug gested that all wire editors care fully compare their news play with that of the New York Times, would do now. But on to the brighter side, it might be an interesting task to poll the population to see what news media has been filling the gap. Certain publications, I am sure have increased readership. Weekly news magazines and local papers, I am sure, have benefited. MISS YAGGI ' As one walks across campus or participate in a "bull session" in the dorm, one noticed new names of - newspapers creeping info the vocabulary .of .students.—. The Washington ' Post, National Ob server, and The Baltimore Sun. One even hears of- The Centre Democrat occasionally these days. When the strike will be termin ated is anybody's guess, but there are many who will welcome the end so that they can have the “security” of their New York Times. dine are fundamental and sacred. The right to chooseyour fraterni ty co-members in a private club is also a sacred right, but when artificial cleavages are produced which affect others beyond the scope'of an organization, namely the American Body Politic and the Democracy which this body is supposed to stand for, then your practices must be scrutinized with utmost care and haste. —H. L. Berns *63 I CANT LET YC MY MOTHER 001 SMELL OF AW 00 IN, SNOOPY... IESN'T LIKE THE JET '006... 111
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers