PANDORA'S Vol. VI No. 7 York Collage of the City University of New York Bayside - Jamaica, New York Thursday, April 1, 1971 DEAN BODI TAKES CURRICULUM SURVEY STUDENTS-'LOADED QUEST.' Story on page 3 A lineup of the noted guest speakers at the Congressman to End Newmar, Queens District Attorney Thomas Mackell and Con- the War Rally held last weekend in Queens: Bella Abzug, Eva gressman Thomas Manton. Jefferson, former Green Beret Steven Noetzel, actress Julie PEACE REPS.'NIXON DEAF' A huge sign behind the speak- of Northwestern University, ers at last Sunday's rally for a broke into tears, and was com- Vietnam disengagement pro- forted by Congresswoman Bella claimed that "The majority isn't Abzub of Manhattan. silent, Nixon is deaf." Queens Later, at the lecture, Miss Democrat Benjamin Rosenthal Jefferson told the mostly middle- expressed his gratitude to the class appearing crowd the ef- administration of St. Johns Uni- fect the anti-war movement has versity for the use of the Alumni had. "Even Mayor Daley,' she Hall all evening. said, "has found it necessary to "The American atrocities in speak out against the war.''Miss Vietnam cost us $2,880,000 per Jefferson finished her rather hour," declared Steven Noetzel emotional speech with a reminder of Floral Park, the head of the that a clenched fist isn't always Vietnam Veterans Against the a bad thing. War. Of the leaders in the The evening's climax came White House and the Pentagon, when, "the lady in the hat," he said, "They are brave lead- Congresswomen Bella Abzug took ers proving their courage with her turn at the microphone. "The our blood.' He continued, de- men and women of Congress are scribing what he referred to as prepared to work for peace," she atrocities by the American sol- said. She got everyone's atten- diers. His descriptions of the tion with her repeated attacks on torture and murder of suspected the present administration. She Viet Cong prisoners silenced the finished her speaking, fully audience. shouting quite loudly with an ap- At one point, Miss Eva Jeffer- peal to President Nixon to, 'stop son, the student body president killing the people here at home." Page 2 PANDORA'S BOX Thursday, April 1, 1971 As You Like It Cooper Proposes Alternative Degrees YORK COLLEGE introductory course and a "special topic" C. Majors in Humanities or Communica- division of Social Science; of course. The "special topics" should be tions c)two courses (at least 6 credits) in the numerous so as to afford students choice. following humane arts: Philosophy, The City University of New York Inasmuch as many "sDeclal tonics" MEMORANDUM Areas of Study History, Literature, Fine Arts, and To : College Curriculum Commit- courses will coincide with instructors' I. Communications Music; tee Date: March 15, 1971 special interests, the results are likely to a. English-one year of one or one d)two courses (at least 6 credits) in From : Bieler, Cooper, Fischer, be quite lively courses. semester of each Some special features: composition, of which one course Morton, Southern l)writing must be in written composition (the Subject : Proposal for Alternative De- 1)A11 students must take either one se- 2)speech other may be in speech); and grees mester of speech and one semester of written composition or two semesters of 6 credits e)one course in foreign language or We submit the enclosed proposal for b. Foreign language-through litera- linguistics. your consideration and appropriate action. one of these disciplines; however, all students who choose a year of speech ture (one course after 106) or Any remedial work required of a student "Man is born free, but everywhere exemption by examination plus these nine courses will constitute his he is in chains," must pass a written examination and all students who choose a year of writing 6-18 credits first year's work. Completion of the fresh- Rousseau must pass an oral examination. n» Fine Arts and Literature-one year man program (by no later than the fourth of one of the following: term of residence) constitutes official In truth, the prison, unto which we doom (6 credits) a. English Literature and special •membership in the B.A. program. Ourselves, no prison is. 2)Where foreign literature is offered as topic an alternative to English literature, b. Fine Arts Model Two . some Souls (for such there needs foreign literature may be taken in trans- c. Music Co-ordinated Courses must be) lation. 6 credits Courses in different disciplines will be . have felt the weight of too much 3) Requirements will be distributed in five in. Humane Studies-one year of one of designed so as to be complementary; stu- liberty. ." areas of -study: the following: dents register for both of the paired W.Wordsworth l)Hurrune Studies a. Main themes of History and spe- courses at the same time. 2) Fine Arts and Literature cial topic The student will complete at least four The various suggestions for curriculum 3) Communications of these pairs so arranged that two courses reform thus far submitted—all seriously b. Methods of Philosophy and spe- 4) Natural Science and Math cial topic are taken in each of the following areas: intended and thoughtful—have tended to 5)Social Science 1. Natural Sciences and Mathematics range along two sides of what has ap- c. Major Religions and special topic None of the first three are precise 6 credits 2. Social Sciences parently been the great curriculum debate equivalents of any of the administrative 3. Humanities as previously designed at York. Some of us are committed to IV. Natural Science and Mathematics- academic divisions. -two of the following: 4. Communications (writing or speech wide freedom of choice, some to careful or one of each) prescription; but bolh routes are honestly Primary Requirements a. Principles of Physical Science A. Major in Natural Science and Math and special topic before continuing on to upper class work deemed as ways to help students liberate in the same manner as after Model One. themselves from ignorance. It is quite Areas of Study b. Principles of Biological Science I. Communications and special topic Comment: likely that these philosophies of curricu- Many sensible co-ordinated courses are lum, like their cousins in the area of child a. English-one year of one or one c. Mathematics of Probability and semester of each* 6 credits Statistics and special topic possible. Physical Science and Philo- rearing, will continue to glare at each sophy, Physical Science and Mathematics, other for centuries, each achieving for a 1) Writing 9-12 credits 2)Speech Physical Science and History, Physical time a falsely secure preeminence before V. Social Science-one year of one or Science and Reading/Writing are po- being replaced by the other. The debate b. Foreign language-to the 105 level one semester of two: tentially interesting and workable com- itself, however, as well as the predis- (emphasis on reading), or exemp- a. Anthropology binations, to illustrate from the standixiint positions of both students and faculty, tion by examination 0-9 credits b. Economics of one discipline. might well suggest that both approaches •see special feature I above C Political Science enjoy a legitimate place in a liberal cur- II. Fine Arts and Literature-one year d. Psychology This arrangement does not require group riculum. The following proposal hopes to each of two of the following: e. Sociology teaching: it does require considerable con- satisfy the widest possible definition of a. English literature and special 6 credits sultation and joint planning. The two "liberal education" hy offering all stu- topic 39-54 courses would be aware of one another b. Foreign literature and special without imposing restrictions on one an- dents a primary choice between the two Bachelor of Arts other. kinds of freedom: freedom from virtually topic The B»A. consists of a flexible fresh- all restriction and freedom to move (as c. Fine Arts 12 credits man program and only two limitations on A sample program might look like this: Frost puts it) "easy in harness." d. Music the rest of a student's career—a restric- Semester One Semester Two HI. Humane studies-one year of one of tion on the number of 100 level courses he Physical Science and Biology and the following: may take and a requirement as to the num- Philosophy Psychology The first program provides a struc- a. Main themes of History and spe- ber of 300-400 level courses he must take. Reading/Writing and Speech and tured framework and requires a student cial topic Beyond that the focus of one's work may Political Science History to take a prescribed major. This will be b. Methods of Philosophy and spe- vary from area studies, to ethnic studies, In Physical Science students would con- referred to as the Bachelor of Philosophy.* cial topic to education, to a career orientation, to sider philosophical aspects, in philo- The second program, relatively unstruc- c. Major Religions and special topic any of a number of other possible student sophy they would apply themselves to tured andfreeof "core" requirements, al- 6 credits Interests. These are theoretically un- problems and writings in science. Sim- lows a student with the aid of an advisor, IV. Natural Science and Mathematics limited. Even an avowed generalist may ilarly for the other pairs. to design his own program to the extent To be set by division be graduated. It is the task of advisement, that he need not select a major. This will V. Social Science-one year of one or however, to see that he rises above Model Three be referred to as the Bachelor of Arts.