Lawrence renaissance in minorit Ï O Q Í k* Ü f vi O ''.I 1» ï W éi '.IP by Terry Moran building in reaction to a racial Mr. Snyder, ‘‘Many public ed t “We must present Lawrence incident. Though Mr. Snyder schools in black communities mine honestly to prospective black sees the incident as unfor­ deteriorated in the quality of Lawrence. In the year, xo uuiCK »LuufiiLs i/ins past students. If we can involve the tunate, he does not attribute education they provided. For Lawrence admitted three black year. black students on campus in the decline in the number of whatever reasons, black students. None have remained. ‘‘We have a real team effort the admissions process, we blacks on campus to bad feel­ students’ preparation was not But the University had seen at here,” says Mr. Snyder of the have the capability of doing ings resulting from the protest. as good as it had been.” the writing on the wall; the admissions staff. ‘‘But the best great things.” Rather, he sees three major fac­ Deteriorating economic condi­ 1977 Task Force report noted example we have for prospec­ So says Mr. Kossuth Snyder, tors which developed at about tions in many black areas, that during the next two tives is our alumni. And our Associate director of Admis­ the same time and grew increas­ social unrest, and a general decades, ‘‘minority students kids. Talk to them — they’re do­ sions and Instructor in Afro- ingly acute during the seventies decline in high school education will constitute a greater percen­ ing great things.” American Ethnic Studies, in as responsible for Lawrence’s are reasons that have been cited tage of the college-bound describing one of his major per­ poor performance in this area. in recent studies as con­ population.” sonal goals— to ‘‘dramatically First, according to Mr. tributing to the difficulties Mr. Since Mr. Snyder’s arrival, increase the minority student Snyder, ‘‘Lawrence didn’t work Snyder discusses. much has been accomplished in population on campus.” In a re­ as hard to attract minority Finally, other institutions this area. Lawrence reestablish­ cent interview with The students as they had in the worked very hard for minority ed a close connection with the Lawerentian, Mr. Snyder spoke past.” The University allowed students. The seventies saw Chicago-based Ada McKinley at length on the subject of crucial institutional connec­ many major universities in­ Educational Services Center minority admissions at tions with schools which had a stituting ‘‘affirmative action” which assists minority Lawrence, and the University’s high concentration of black programs to increase their students with college admis­ commitment to an ethnically students to deteriorate. Though minority student population. sions. In St. Louis, Ms. Ruth diverse student population. an underlying commitment to In 1977, the admissions Weeks has been invaluable in In the early seventies, the minority admissions remained, department was reorganized, making Lawrence known in the percentage of minortity the mechanics for attracting and Mr. Snyder arrived here black community there, students at Lawrence was far students was neglected. from Western Illinois Universi­ especially at Summer High greater than it is today. In The second factor which con­ ty, where he had been director School. As a result of these and 1972, black students on campus tributed to a decline in minority of the Gwendolyn Brooks other efforts of the admissions took over the administration admissions was, according to Cultural Center. He was assign- staff, including a special Photo: Koss Snyder Th e La w r e n t i a n VOL. XCVIINO. 6 LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY. APPLETON. WISCONSIN 54911 FRIDAY. DECEMBER 5. 1980 Conservatory curriculum revisedA r t A n n e x The Conservatory o f Music is Bachelor of Arts (music major) strength. The most obvious way to operating this year under a newly degrees. That goal reflected a address the problem was to at­ The ball tolls for thee? revised curriculum. The new cur­ desire both for more flexibility tempt to reduce the number of by Xathy Shea However, the issue en­ riculum is a result of a complete within the required music courses, specified, required music courses The demolition of the Art An­ countered complications when a curriculum review which took and also to allow for an encourage for each degree. A special effort nex has no doubt been the most group of students protested the place last year under the guidance conservatory students to take was made to reduce the number of controversial issue raised this decision, circulating petitions of a committee formed for that more non-music classes. The lat­ fractional-credit courses because fall. To date, it remains just and voicing their discontent. purpose. The Conservatory Study ter, in particular, was a concern of their tendency to crowd that. Although earlier schedul­ Consequently, the administra­ Group was composed of five C on­ expressed .by President Warch, schedules and to make time ed for demolition in the summer tion has dediced to postpone is­ servatory faculty members, one Dean Murdoch, faculty, and demands disproportionate to the of 1981, the building’s fate is, in suing a final decision on the college faculty member, two students alike. It was agreed that credit received. fact, still undecided and a final matter, and has begun an students, and the Dean of the one of the unique strengths of the A large part o f the difficulty in Conservatory. Lawrence Conservatory is its in­ acheiving the goals o f the review One of the main goals o f the tegration within a stong liberal relates to the definition of the review was to try to provide arts university; it was also agreed B.M . degree. It is a professional greater flexibility within the that the current curriculum did degree carrying with it a large graduation requirements for the not allow students to benefit as number o f specific requirements Bachelor of Music and the much as possible from that both implicitly and explictly defin­ ed in the guidelines set forth by the National Association of Povolny: Czech rep Schools of Music. The number and the sequences of courses A Lawrence University pro­ delegation is co-chaired by necessary to satisfy the B.M. stan­ fessor will leave Appleton former U.S. Attorney General dards make it a real challenge to Saturday, Dec. 6 , for Madrid, Griffin B. Bell and includes design a degree which allows con­ Spain, where he will be an members of Congress and servatory students to draw as observer at the Conference on representatives of the State much as possible from their liberal Security and Cooperation in Department and the public. arts environement. Europe. The revisions which were finally Mojmir Povolny, The Henry made should be steps in the direc­ M. Wriston Professor in the tion o f meeting that challenge A change of heart? Photo: Karen Lutz Social Sciences at Lawrence, specific changes in the B.M. will represent the Council of degree include raising the decision will not be handed assessment of renovative costs Free Czechoslavakia. Povolny minimum number of required down before a new assessment in response to student concern. is a native of Czechslovakia and non-music courses from eight to of renovation costs has been Because the University is is president of the council. He is ten, with a possible maximum of completed. Currently, the relying on assessors to con­ also a member of the twelve which can be taken with Physical Plant, at the request tribute construction bids Czechoslovak Foreign Institute out overloading. That increase, of the Administration, is in the without payment, the process in Exile. the largest possible within the process of gathering bids on of amassing bids and arriving The conference Povolny will N.A.S.M. guidelines, required various aspects of renovation to at a single cost figure will be attend is examining compliance considerable juggling and trimm­ determine specifically the costs fairly slow • two to three more with the Helsinki Agreement, a ing o f required music courses. entailed in major reconstruc­ weeks at a minimum. Thus, the non-binding security and Another substantial change was tion. issue awaits resolution. Among cooperation document signed the restructuring of the basic Although at present the an­ administrators, there is little by 33 European nations, music history sequence from three nex is not a safety hazard, its doubt that the cost of renova­ Canada and the United States half credit courses to two full condition is such that tion will be high. Vice President at Helskini, Finland, in 1975. credit courses. Scheduling changes maintenance and heating costs for Business Affairs, Marwin The signers, which included the were made in a number of are unduly high, thus Wrolstad, refrained from Soviet Union, agreed to respect necessitating a decision either speculating on what kind of ef­ Mojmir Povolny Methods and Pedagogy course in national boundaries established order to allow education majors to demolish or renovate. Since fect the results of this current Povolny earned a law degree after World War II, to broaden to complete their pre-professional maintenance of the structure in assessment will have on the detente, to renounce force and from Masaryk University in training in the junior year, and its present condition is infeasi­ fate of the annex; in his mind, aid to terrorism, to reduce ten­ Brno, Czechoslovakia, and was student teaching in one term of ble in economic terms, the “nothing will be decided until executive secretary of the sion in the Mediterranean, to the senior year. The schedule was building was scheduled to come the ball strikes the building.’’ Benes Party in his homeland aid families to unite across also designed to make it easier for down early this term.