Page Six SCARLET AND BLACK Unrealized Potential for Student involvement By KATHY BULL The Havemnn report of Scptelllber, 1967 proposed the establishment of Ed- |icatlorlal Policy Committees for the three div ons, Humanities, Social Sci- ences, and Science. Tlle E,P.C.s are still in the discussing and planning stage of all proposals and no concrete action has been taiten to initiate significant changes. One of the unfortunate aspects of the E.P.C.s is that they have no real decision-making power; their function is purely recommendations]. This weakens the positive action of form log a student-faculty committee. A major issue in each division has been the desirability of student repre- sentatives, the role of the students on the committee, and the methods with which the students on the committee. and the methods with which the stu- dents would be selected. The divisional E.P.C.s have dealt with this problem in Various ways, and have emphasized dif- ferent areas requiring renovation. Vot- ing power for both the faculty and stu- dent participants is still undecided. The need for a Well-defined divisional organization and assuming of “import- ant educational functions,” the promo- tion of communication and cooperation among departments, particularly con< cerning interdisciplinary and interde< partmental study and the facilitation of communication with other divtsions and the Executive Council, are specified by the Haveman Report as reasons for es- tablisning E.P.C.S. The committees do not sewe as de- tisionemaking bodies; rather, they make recommendations to be voted on by the laculty, division or Executive Council. A large share of the Work is done within the departments and is cleared by the committee, Each di sional committee decided how often they will meet and how many student representatives they will have. The latter decision is sub— ject to the entire faculty’s approval. Although most at the committee mem- bers agree that student participation % Penalty credits considered After the Thanksgiving recess. a num- ber of faculty members questioned the half credit penalty which is added to the graduation requirement or absent siu< limits This penalty was instituted several years ago to curb students who cut, not only the days immediately before and after Vacations, but in some cases. seV< eral days preceding and following. A committee composed of a faculty member from each division and two stu- dent consultants was established to look into the questions A report should be compiled in the next few weeks and pre~ sellted to the Executive Council of the Faculty, who will in turn make recom- mendations to the faculty as a whole. It is difficult to predict what the final ‘decision will be. The student body and many faculty members are opposed to the penalty because it is ineifective in that it covers only six days of the school year. However, there is also support of the penalty for lack of an alternative. on the committees is important, the Humanities and Social Science di- visions have not yet elected student representatives. This, however, is not entirely the fault of the faculty The student attendance 'at the EEC. 01‘- ganizational meetings was very poor. The Humanities committee held five organizational meetings last semester ahd have not met this semester. Pres- ently sludenu are not represented at these meetings. While there has been some sentiment against student repre- sentation, the majority recognize a need for student participation, disagreeing only on form. A faculty member describ- ed the function of the E.P.C. as a “cleaning house for course proposals and the other proposals related to curricu- lum revisions,” The Science division has met once this semester and plans to meet every two weeks. A student elected by the majors represents his department at the meet- ings. Mr. Danforth, head of the com- mittee, feels cooperation between the students and faculty will be worthwhile. in the future he hopes to sea the cum< mittee examining the acceptance and eifectiveness of Science I and it re- quirelnents and assembling information to make recommendations to the entire division. The Social Science division has not yet determined their policy on student representation and is delaying issues until student participation is estab- lished. The Political Science depart- ment majors have initiated their own Student Educational Policy Committee, electing two juniors and three seniors. This committee will participate in var- ious decision-making aspects of the de- partment, but will not be directly as< sociated with the divisional E.P.C. % Students Challenged From RICHARD SCHMIEKEN, JANET SMITH KATHY BULL, ROGER KOENKER The Humanities and Social Science Divisions have still not elected student representatives to their Educational Po< licy Committees. We feel that the stu~ dents should not wait for the faculty to request their organizing but should go ahead and take action. If they expect to have a voice in the important issues that will be considered by the committees this semester (perhaps recommendations for a new Dean could be suggested) they must take the time and etiort to organ- ize Within the department and elect re preseiltatives. Regular meeting times shoulti be agreed upon immediately. We hope that the E.l’. .s will not be only “clearing houses" for departmental proposals, but will also be able to illi< tiate experimental interdisciplinary and independent studies programs and re- search the value of comprehensive exams, and general educational require- ments. \Ve also hope that the delay in establishing the committees Will not have condemned them to second semes- ter lethargy'. or worse, that the faculty will Stall action until it becomes too late for the students to share in any decisions about next year’s curriculum ART SUPPLlES Posters, Frames, Gifts hiitl’o dhtdh litiiEEi. 813 4TH AVENUE Grionell's Decorating Center Friday. February I4. [96? The Diggers pulled another no-no at the slew dimer Saturday night in Loose Lounge when most of the 60 who attended d ecided it was time [or fingerpainting the Free Sioze and kitchenette, as well :is each other’s tacos. But Blue Meanies Ralph ‘ Pomerenk and Ken Etzkorll didn't appreciate the unleashed creativity and ordered iboth rooms to be cleaned by Thursday evening or else. Since no one can afford to pay B to G cleaning rates, the Diggers will comply, but yellow submarines have been spotted in the vicinity. Controversial Concert Defended By MOLLY MCGUIRE A new breed of music was introduced to Grinneii last weekend in the term or the Cecil Taylor Unit, an avantegarde jazz quartet. If nothing else. the concert became a topic of controversy on cam pus as the music was ioreign and incom- prehensible t0 the cars at most of the audience. Arguments raged over the quality or value at the music itself as well as the advisability of bringing this type of music to Grinnell. Comments ranged from the facetious Bandstand favorite, “Oh, it didn’t have a very good beat and I couldn't dance to it," to the popular. “It stunkl” Those who liked it seemed overpowered by it—- they were completely carried away emo- tionally: “l was intoxicated by it," was one of the more extreme comments on the positive side. Generally. however, there seemed to be unfavorable response from the cam- pus, On this note, the 5&3 talked to Gary Giddcns and Lee Shambel‘g oi the Social Coordinating Committee to let them ex- plain their reasons for bringing in Cecil Taylor, and also to let them comment on the student reaction. Their reason for presenting a concert of tllis type was two-fold, First, ciddens felt that “any controversy started in this conservative melange of apathy and lethargy would be beneficial.” Shamberg added, ”The concert was a result ol a > GUlde (Continued from Page 5) each persons thinks of what should be done and then does it. “Things are a bit sloppy, but they get done." The protes- tors are particularly concerned in not defining a power structure. Life during the first week was excit- ing but with time some interest is dying. Protesters, no matter what interest group they were from. were unified by their actions and engaged in intensive communication. One student said it was a “great educational experience," DisA cussions between very different types of people ranged all the way from politics through concepts of human na- ture. After almost two weeks, the tudents remain in the building, unwi 'ng to budge until some action is taken on their demands. Some people are losing inter» est. but many students insist on staying. continuous attempt to make the concerts program an organic part of the educa- tional process. Education involves a challenge to one's standards and pre- conceptions." Secondly, they wanted to expose stu- dents to music they may never listen to on their own, or even realize existed. "The importance of the concert," stressed Giddens, ”was that the students got a chance to hear this music, not Whether they liked it or disliked its one of my hopes in bringing in Taylor was that people would be moved to investi- gate the music more fully on their own," Those criticizing the quality of the mu- sic itself were severly chided by Giddens and Shamberg. They argued that to criti- cize quality [mm a position of total ignor- ance is “indefensible," Instead of judging the music by the standards of familiar Western music, they stressed that one must realize that Taylor is working in a diiierelit medium, that of an AirorAlnerican culture. Gid- dens stressed, “Whatever similarities there are between Tay rand Mozart are outweighed by similarities between Tay- for and Ellington," Giddcns was particularly disturbed by the fact that so much of the audience left before and during intermission. He said that if they would have stayed longer they very possibly would have ended up enjoying it (which is what did happen in several cases.) He said that Taylor Wasn't playing for those who left, but for those who stayed long enough to enjoy listening to the music as much as he did playing it. it’s I THE VARSITY NEWSSTAND FOR SMOKES, SNACKS, BOOKS.