Sass, Margrave seek vital restructuring of curriculum By SANDY COYNER Master Ronald L. Sass), the papers and reading. Grading Pilot Program courses would probably contain Thresher Editorial Staff other in the Undergraduate would be on a pass/fail basis. Sass hopes that the plan mostly members of the same Two years ago "A New Plan Curriculum Committee (chaired The freshmen would live near could be a pilot program for a college. The courses would prob- for. Undergraduate Education by Dr. John L. Margrave). each other, and the course similar curriculum change to in- ably be required to have a mini- at Rice University" presented Hanszen Plan would be integrated into the volve the entire University. mum enrollment of some kind to the University Community The Hanszen Plan, termed by whole of their college life. The He has appointed a commit- and a syllabus rigorous enough some ideas and objectives and Sass a "response to President meetings would be held within tee of about 15 faculty associ- to justify the credit. Plans a suggestion for how they Pitzer's comments" on the Col- Hanszen College. ates and about 10 students, who would of necessity have to be might be embodied in educa- lege System just before Christ- Money Needed have met once, to develop and made well before the beginning tional structure. Those ideas mas, would provide an inter- Sass anticipates that the col- discuss the plan during the of the semester in which the were primarily that students be disciplinary approach to the lege might be able to hire its semester. Illustrating one of the course would be scheduled. encouraged to learn with their material in the participant's own professors to teach the hopes of supporters of the col- Pass/Fail teachers, as much as from non-major fields, thus allowing courses—and those new people lege system, Sass noted that The courses would probably them; that they be accepted as him to secure "professional" could "show us how it's done." the idea for the plan came up be "free electives" in the par- colleagues in a common en- training in his major interest The plan would probably need and has already been discussed ticipating students' schedules, deavor; and that removing much and "lay" training in his other a foundation grant to support in spontaneous discussion in the and could be graded on a pass/ of the formality from the pres- interests. it financially. college. fail basis. ent educational structure might The approximately 50 volun- Sass thinks that the rough Create Own Courses ? The committee is investigat- encourage such activity. teer freshmen in the pilot pro- provisions of the plan would The Curriculum Committee ing the possibilities of securing The plan has never been de- gram would take one "course" provide an answer to some of has discussed a plan which a foundation grant to support veloped into a finished form, in either "science" — for aca- the problems of the freshman would allow students to create the program. Funds are neces- and" currently no group advo- dems — or "humanities" — year in the current curriculum. new courses on subjects which sary for distribution to the de- cates its actual implementation for science-engineering majors. The student would no longer be interest them but are not pres- partments which would be pro- here. But the principles upon The students thus would be taking pre-professional courses ently offered, invite their own viding professors to teach the which it was based continue to taking three regular University in fields outside his major in- professor to teach the course, independent courses. The de- provoke new plans. courses. terest, but interdisciplinary and receive course credit for partments could use this extra Two ideas for fundamentally Mass Lectures courses designed to give him their work. money to hire a replacement. changing the structure of under- That one course would prob- general understanding and in- Margrave anticipates that the If the plan has any prelimi- graduate education at Rice are ably be organized around one terest. The less formalized for- ideas for such courses would nary success in securing a foun- currently in the earliest stages "mass lecture" per week, with mat of the courses would prob- probably first come up in spon- dation grant, it will be devel- of development: one in Hanszen numerous tutorials, seminars, ably encourage student interest taneous discussion within a col- oped by the faculty at large into College (under the direction of asignments, and independent and participation. lege, and that the independent a more complete form. You lose You lose a few THE RICE THRESHER a few more AN ALL-STUDENT NEWSPAPER FOR 51 YEARS Volume 54—Number 16 RICE UNIVERSITY, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77001 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9. 1967 Vote smashes NSA Machine grades, Senate praises new exam system student-set finals By DEBBIE THEODORE S. A. President Jerry Hafter for the location is needed. Con- Thresher Reporter suggested that the Senate re- struction will begin when this please Registrar The Senate approved the re- quest that the University es- approval is given. Approxima- By BARI WATKINS sults of the all-school referen- tablish a fund to support stu- tely $250 has been collected, Thresher Reporter dum held Monday on member- dent delegations to conven- but more is needed. David Cohen James C. Morehead, Regis- ship in the National Student tions. He claimed that beyond is in charge of the project. trar, said he was "more than ««.. Association at its regular meet- the value to the students who pleased" with the results of ing Tuesday evening. attend, their presence at the The new Parking Appeals students' scheduling their own The resolution to join NSA more important and distant Board will be maintained on a finals and with the IBM system failed by an overwhelming conventions would be good ex- permanent basis, after the suc- posure and publicity for Rice. of recording grades. Both meth- 69% of those voting. Of 574 cessful work they have done students voting, 397 were A plan will be presented to the ods were tried for the first this year. The board is current- against and 154 were in favor Senate at next week's meeting time during the past exam pe- on the subject. ly making recommendations to of joining. riod. The Honor Council reported Dean Paul Pfeiffer on the basis —Photo by Wayne J. Shilkret Artist's Conception The only problem that More- no breach of the honor system An artist's conception of the of the tickets that have been JOHN WILLIAMS head found with the finals sys- under the new exam system. Rice Owl Cage and location reviewed by the Board. Guitarist grandioso tem was with a few students The Senate reccoommended that was presented to the Senate for who had legitimate reasons for the Fauclty extend the system approval. Questions were raised to a permanent basis, as well as to the architectural design Segovia protege, to perform here; changing their finals schedule as offering some minor sug- of the cage (vaguely neo-med- r after the exam period had be- gestions for revision. iterranean, early park facility considered one of finest guitarists gun. In most cases these chang - renaissance), and the environ- es were necessary because a Proposed Policy Change By MIKE KARCHMER ed himself as a musician with mental requirements of owls. take-home final or a paper was The Senate will submit a pro- Thresher Music Reviewer faultless technique. A protege due on the day the final had John Williams, a young man posal to the Registrar concern- The proposed site of the cage of Segovia, Williams studied been scheduled. ing the policy on changing is in the men's colleges quad- widely considered to be one of with the master for five sum- course registration after the rangle, the reasons being that the finest classical guitarists in mers at the, Accademia Musi- Students were allowed to beginning of classes. The Sen- this would make it relatively the world, will give a recital on cale Chigiana in Siena, Italy. make those necessary changes ate proposed that no fine be Aggie-proof because of protec- February 24 at Hamman Hall. He also studied at the Royal and, Morehead added, "They charged for any changes made tion on all four sides by Rice The concert, which is being College of Music in London. didn't ask for changes unless during the first week of clas- men, and would also provide a sponsored by the Student. Cen- Since his 1958 London debut, they had a good reason." ses; the standard $10 fine would social center of interest for ter Board, will mark Williams' Williams has performed The plan, which was insti- apply for changes made during Rice men and women to meet first appearance in Texas. throughout Europe, Scandina- tuted by the faculty on a trial the second week, andno changes and mingle. The Senate ap- Born in Melbourne, Australia, via, Japan, the Soviet Union, as basis only, will be reviewed by would be allowed after two proved the site. twenty-five years ago, John well as the United States. Wil- the Faculty Council for possible weeks. The approval of the Trustees Williams has quickly establish- liams' 1962 tour of the Soviet acceptance on a permanent Union included seven sold-out basis. recitals in Moscow and Len- Potential free university ingrad which were broadcast Although the IBM system of and televised unabridged. reporting grades had been tried Williams' records with Col- out for Thanksgiving grades, City colleges view draft intricacies umbia have been some of that this is the first time it had By BECKY ROSENBERG •military educational needs, and, will be beneficial to the smaller company's better selling classi- been tried on an all-University Thresher Reporter most vital to students who will members.