New Faculty Letter Issued

a , ~ ' ,,. On The Inside Viewpoint--faculty page 10 Special Harrisburg feature page 8-9 serving the notre dame -st. mary's community Vol. VI, No. lOS Friday, April 7. 1972 New faculty letter issued J by Marlene Zloza continue to improve this instrument and assess j its effectiveness." j A rebuttal to the March 14 faculty letter of The letter didn't mention charges that such "The Future of Notre Dame" has been signed by evaluations affect teaching styles and thirty-one additional faculty members who procedures. • disagree with the premises of the first letter and Roedig also brought up teaching loads by the conclusions it drew. • saying, "I consider the first letter an answer to The new statement, dated March 30, expresses Fr. Burtchaell 's letter about tenure and teaching concern that the first letter was "Misleading in loads which was blunt but not categorical. It did the overall view it presents of academic policies I leave an opening for dialogue." since the institution of the Office of Provost." "We see no 'decline', no 'deteriorating' future for 'provost statement no rule' Notre Dame, but rather vigorous and reasonable ... moves to permit Notre Dame to The second faculty letter commented educate well despite the challenging en similarly, "the Provost's recent statement on vironment of the 1970's," the statement read. teaching hours for faculty is no absolute rule by One of the signers, Charles F. Roedig, the attempt to make a general policy Associate Professor of Modern Languages, meaningful.'' commented on the sponsors of the first Prof. Burns sees this as a favorable step. "I statement. "I think they are crying wolf · am pleased to see an effort to get equity in making some strong, heavy charges and teaching loads. I'd like to see it studied more assumptions about the future which will not deeply. The question of six or twelve hours of necessarily happen." teaching depends on the content and type of courses involved and the amount of class first sponsors 'crying wolf' Fern: forsees no action, but fears 'schism' preparation required.'' The March 30 declaration concludes with a The first letter referred to "a new style" and University and a lining up of subordinates to the pledge to "continue to put our complete efforts "new policies" that are "revising the whole administration who instruct, instead of consult iil.to the committee work of this University," but community at Notre Dame," but Roedig with, their colleagues. The second letter refutes when their studied recommendations are questions "The definitions of the premises of the this, stating "the idea that democratic self vetoed, the signers expect an explanation, a letter. Are the new style and the new policies governm€nt operated here in the 1960's only to be chance for discussion." really new? They are all written in the faculty lost in the early 1970's is simply false." manual." "I think the first letter had a number of Rev. Raymond F. Cour,. C.S.C., Professor of In general, Roedig feels the first letter "is inaccuracies, particularly the statement that Government, commented that he "agreed in flawed by basing its conclusions on emotions N.D. is drifting away from the democracy of the substance" with the letter and feels "others feel instead of intellect. They have concluded things past," contends Robert E. Burns, Associate the same way" although they have personal by ·using their own hypothesis." Professor of History. opinions. The Office of the Provost was another matter "The past was not as democratic as the letter As a whole, Prof. Burns sees the second letter brought up in the first letter. Although it spoke in implied. Each department has a different as "a corrective to an image that was presented generalities, Thomas S. Fern, Associate history, the first letter may have reflected one in the first letter,'' and Prof. Roedig considers the Professor of Art believes that the references tradition, but as far as I am concerned, my new statement "much more general, but based "were hitting at Fr. Burtchaell's style. I, per department is much more open now than it on realistic evaluations of things as they are." sonally, appreciate a forthright statement from was," Burns concluded. As far as repercussions, Prof. Fern doesn't someone in his position of authority." think any action will be taken, but considers Prof. Roedig felt that "the question of the letter welcomes evaluations "both letters essentially individual statements of Provost is a matter for the Faculty Senate to opinion. I have only one worry, he concluded, discuss with the administration if there is enough On the question of student course evaluations, "we may have set up a schism between the two interest in the topic. They would be the correct the new letter states, "we welcome teacher groups. I'm sure no one wants to antagonize faculty representatives in the matter." evaluation by students" and "we note that the those who signed the first letter. I hope no ill Parts of the initial letter suggested a decline in present questionaire is under study by a feelings appear on either,, side because of the the democratic self government of the University committee, and we trust that we will opposing views expressed. Warren calls lor 'effective law and good will' by Mike Baum Commission, of which University President Former Chief Justice Earl Warren Fr. Theodore Hesburgh is presently delivered the last of three lectures last chairman, that "its work, since its creation · night, saying, "We must constantly in 1957, has symbolized a growing conviction scrutinize developments that would divert among Americans of all races that the our Nation from the path of allegiance to the principle of racial equality is not one that standards of cultural pluralism and racial can be partially or temporarily im equality that we have long professed to plemented, nor rhetorically espoused and hold." subverted in practice." The Supreme Court veteran concluded the Praising the Commission's work since it's Civil Rights Lectures of the Law . School inception, culminating in several pieces of before a capacity crowd in the Center for landmark legislation, Warren noted that the Continuing Education . Commission had published more than Continuing with his legal history of civil twenty-five documents since 1965 alone in rights in the area of race relations, Justice such fields such as "federal rights under Warren traced the development of school desegregation laws, social and legislation in the· field from the Hayes economic mobility in the Negro community, Tilden election to the present day. and equal employment opportunities under Noting the "solutions" of different federal law." Justice Warren commented, countries to race relations ranging from "I wish that every American could read apartheid and subordination of minorities to those documents." civil war. Warren observed, "in the face of In conclusion, he said, "We have, it bears these alternatives, we cannot lightly view repeating, 34 million members of minority attempts to subvert or disemble these groups whose racial rights have not been portions of the Constitution which confer recognized but must be fully accorded. That _._: ·' ~ civil rights on all American citizens, calls for a combination of effective law and 'i :· ~-~-~!. ; regardless of race or color." good will. In the absence of both these /, '""!- "~ .... " ·.. -- "I do not believe we can retain our strength elements we can only expect chaos. If there •;-:-•~~"f ~~~· as a nation unless we retain a commitment is one lesson to be learned from our tragic . to racial equality and the free enjoyment of experience in the Civil War, it is that the the rights of American citizenship by all, question of racial discrimination is never and I do not believe we can suborinate that settled until it is settled right. It is not yet commitment to temporary exigencies and rightly settled." inconveniences." The introduction for Warren was given by Recounting the gradual increase in Fr. Hesburgh, chairman of the US Civil segregation practices in the South. and, to a Rights Commission. in whose honor the lesser extent. in the North, Warren em· lecture series was inaugurated. phasized the decline of civil rights in the 50 years following the Hayes election. Hesburgh observed. "I doubted that we have had in the 14 Chief Justices of the The retired Chief Justice discussed in United States a man wh has done more to detail the history of the United States change ... the fundamental psyche of the Commission on Civil Rights. He said of the country than our distinguished guest." Is this famous NO sports personality asking Earl Warren if he'd like to be a ref next season? 2 the observer Friday, April 7, 1972 Washington--Congressional sources siad that Le Due Tho, a top North Vietnamese official, has sent word to President Nixon that he would like to resume his secret peace talks with Henry A. Kissinger. The message was given to a group of American labor leaders visiting Hanoi. on campus today Washington--Adm. Thomas H. Mooter, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, vowed that future air strikes would hit "all military targets that are supporting the enemy offensive in South Vietnam"-but not all the way friday north to Hanoi. world 7:00 & 10:00 p.m. - flick, paHon, cac, - engineering auditorium, $1.50. Dongha, South Vietnam--The South Vietnamese soldiers defending 7:00 p.m .. coronation of king kersten, ad Dongha, a deserted town that has marked the limit of the Communist building, inaugural ball to follow in Ia advance since Monday, managed to repel the attackers again, despite briefs fortune. artillery shelling, mortar and a mistaken attack by an American Navy 7:00, 9:15, & 11:30- flick, the professionals, jet.

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