Silber:Fighting the Fligh Tfrom Excellence John R

Silber:fighting the fligh tfrom excellence John R. Silber, one of the most controversial figures in "in the red educationally" no matter what its financial granting of faculty tenure stricter, and he advocated the modern education, will be the main speaker at this year's status was. With only one abstention, the board elected him arrest of student demonstrators. At a symposium where he commencement exercises. unanimously. was answering student questions, a student complained of During his seven years as president of Boston University, Among the inprovenients he has brought to the school are isolation from the administration. Silber responded, "You Silber has had four different budget directors, three vice- a new successful center for Latin American Development are isolated. Anybody who has read Kierkegaard knows presidents, and two deans; the rapid turnover is due both to Studies and recruitment of outstanding faculty members that. And as you grow older, you will become more isolated. firings and resignations. The faculty has become unionized from all over the country. And when you die, you will be all alone." during his administration, and he has delt with a lawsuit His unconventional methods for operation continued after When the faculty turned against him and asked for his between factions of the journalism school. Among other he became president. He made requirements for the resignation, he asked them to draw up an alternative policy allegations against him, he has been accused (falsely) of to the one that he had been pursuing. Policies were planned, building private tennis courts with school funds, and even of but he found very real problems in each of them. After a stealing school flatware. At one point, his resignation was long and complicated battle, he stayed on as president. demanded by a two-thirds majority of voting faculty Silber believes in the ideal set forth by Thomas Jefferson: members. that there is a natural aristocracy or elite section of society that is most fit to take responsibility for governing it. Silber the College of Arts and Sciences at Silber was fired from has said, "Elitism, like aristocracy, has its proper and its the University of Texas when he became involved in a power mistaken forms. Elitism is mistaken only when it creates an of Regents there. struggle with the chairman of the Board elite whose qualifictations are non-existent or irrelevant." As a professor of philosophy, Silber's teaching methods were Also along these lines he believes, "Rejecting excellence in thought unconventional by fellow educators and horrifying the interests of women and minorities is in effect a con- by students. He would call students to the front of the descending adoption of a lower standard for them." what he termed a "Socratic" classroom to question them in The essay in which he has stated most clearly his manner that tended to dwell on flaws more than correct educational philosophy, "The -Flight From Excellence," answers. He would read a paper aloud to the class, tear it to appeared in the June, '77 issue of Harper's. He concludes pieces, and throw it away. One woman who suffered this this essay with the following paragraph: treatment, Celia Morris (wife of author and former Har- "In a secular age in which few believe in a life to come per's editor Willie Morris), said she remembers nothing and in which God is, if not dead, at most indifferent, a vision about philosophy, but that she did eventually learn to play of excellence-a secular kingdom of God-in which individuals his game his way. fulfill themselves through education and useful public Shortly after leaving Texas, Silber was interviewed for the service may be essential." presidency of Boston University, an ailing school in the shadow of Harvard and M.I.T. At the evening dinner of the This article is based on information from the Sept. '77 board of the university before the final vote on his ap- issue of Esquire ["Academic Gore" by Nora Ephron], the pointment, Silber told them that B. U. was "the ugliest Feb. 18. '77 issue of National Review , and the June '77 damned place" he had ever seen, and that the school was issue of Harper's. iuutfluuitrru att mrmVlii vol. 62, no. 20 memphis, tennessee 38112 May 5, 1978 - -7 . Pool's pavilion 1. The Honor Council will to remember that the students at on the way: expel an offender if it feels that the Southwestern pledge themselves not Honor student can no longer live in the to lie, cheat, or steal under any further use of Alburty fund Southwestern community and abide circumstances. The Council believes by the Honor Code. that before Southwestern can have A pavilion will be built between available. A water fountain has an effective Honor System, both the the tennis court and the swimming been donated as a memorial gift by 2. The Council will suspend an Council faculty and students must practice pool within the next few weeks. The the parents of 1969 graduate Nic offender for either or both of two absolute honesty to and trust in pavilion will be of the open-air type, Ramsey. A telephone will also be reasons: A. the offense in itself other members of the campus. with steel columns cased in by installed in the pavilion, and warrants the penalty, or B. the cypress wood. The foundation for reservations for the tennis courts assesses Council feels that the offender needs The Honor Council is making it a the structure has already been may be phoned in at this number. time away from Southwestern to policy to inform the campus of its poured. According to Maintenance Pool Director Lynda Gayle Deacon activities and the results of all trials reconsider his belief in the Honor carpenter William Sherrick, the says that the total cost for the conducted. We hope that this will only thing holding up completion is structure will be between itself System and his responsibility toward fourteen contribute a greater awareness to it. The length of a suspension is the arrival of the steel posts. The and fifteen hundred dollars, which the workings of the Council, thereby actual construction will take about will come from the original Alburty Every year the new Honor Council determined by the Council encouraging more student support must work out its own un- three days. grant. according to the circumstances of for the Honor System. derstanding about such things as The pavilion will function mainly Ms. Deacon also wishes to an- of the meaning of the Honor Code, the each case. When a penalty as a first aid station and will be nounce the arrival of the new water suspension is given, the offender is purpose of the penalties, how to be Four trials were held during staffed full time, probably by work- polo equipment. The pool will be therapeutic and beneficial in assured of the Council's complete second term; the following is a study students. In addition, a available for the use of this assigning penalties, and how to faith in his ability to return to report of the results: limited amount of tennis and equipment between 10 and 12 on preserve the integrity and increase Southwestern upon the termination swimming equipment will be sold, Saturday mornings. She mentions the effectiveness of the Honor of his suspension. 1st Trial-Charge: cheating; such as tennis balls, swim caps, and too that with the time change, the System. Recently the Honor Council plea: guilty; penalty: probation suntan lotion. An assortment of pool will remain open until 6:30 in held a retreat to discuss these 3. If the council feels that the from Term II '78 through Term I fruit and fruit juices will also be the evenings. matters. offense does not warrant suspen- '79. sion, and if the Council has faith in 2nd Trial-Charge: lying in Since most of the discussion the offender to uphold the Honor Music, merriment made official matters; plea: innocent; centered on the purpose of the Code immediately following the verdict: guilty; penalty: probation Friends, penalties, a few of these points trial, the offender is given from Term II '78 through Term III Prepare yourselves for yourselves and seven separate smiles; for a should be brought out. First, it probation. If the offender is con- '78. toast to mirth on Mother Earth begins in just a while. should be noted that when the victed of another Honor Code of- From Thursday night to Sunday eve the minstrels spread their cheer, Honor Council gives a penalty, that fense during the period of 3rd Trial-Charge: plagiarism; while dancing bears and calming cares can follow kegs of beer. penalty is directed toward the of- probation, the probation will weigh plea: guilty; penalty: suspension Thursday fense; it is in no way indicative of any heavily against him in deciding a from Term IIIl '78 through Summer Candy Kakouris at the Pub-9:00. kind of judgement toward the of- new penalty. '78. Friday fender. The job of the Council is to Big Sam in front of the Student Center (Blues)-4:00. preserve the integrity and ef- 4th Trial-Charge: plagiarism; The Council also discussed the Joe Willie Wilkins at the Pub (more Blues)-9:00. fectiveness of the Honor System and plea: guilty; penalty: suspension responsibility of the faculty toward Saturday to be beneficial and therapeutic to Term III '78. the Honor System. It was reported The Clyde Stacy Band in the ampitheater (Rock)-3:00. the offender. Many times a conflict that students have complained that will arise in trying to meet both The Class representatives on the Mover (listen) and Dater (dance) in the Pub-8:00.

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