DOCUMENT RESUME ED 108 562 HE 006 785 AUTHOR Lichtman, aine TITLE Bring Youi Own Bag. A Report on Free Universities. INSTITUTION Americsi Association for Higher Education, Washington, D.C. SPONS AGENCY Hazen Foundation, New Haven, Conn. PUB DATE 73 NOTE 138p. AVAILABLE FROMAmerican Association for Higher Education,1 Dupont Cilcle, Suite 740, Washington, D.C. 20036 ($4.00) EDPS PRICE MF-$0.76 HC-$6.97 PLUS POSTAGE DESCRIPTORS *Alternative Schools; Curriculum; *Educational Alternatives; Educational Change; Educational Environment; *Educational Innovation; Financial Support; *Higher Educttion; *Open Plan Schools; Statistics; Tables (Data) ; Universities IDENTIFIERS *Free Universities ABSTRACT This document has four parts. Part 1 defines free universities, describes the origins of the free universities of the 70's, breaks down current free universities into three kinds, and ends with a chapter on teacher-learning pricesses. Part 2 contains quantitative information - numbers, age, location, enrollments, and funding. Part 3 lists what free universities do and describes the curricula of 67 free universities. Pnrt 4 is a handbook for people who are planning or just beginning to set up a free university in their own area. Some major findings in, this document are:(1) free universities developed to meet the needs neglected by more traditional universities;(2) there are three broad kinds of free universities -- those that act like community centers to match peoples* common interests and resources, those that start out in acute reaction to surrounding educational and political conditions, and those that gradually work to change the educational environment while also responding to needs for additional community services; (3) free universities take on the characteristics of other universities as they become older; and (4)free universities surveyed can be characterized as having little growth, being locally inspired, and having low visibility. learning arrangements in which needs take precedence over requirements. (Author/KE) *********************************************************************** Documents acquired by ERIC include many informal unpublished * materials not available from other sOdrces. ERIC makes every effort * * to obtain the best copy available. nevertheless, items of marginal * reproducibility are often encountered and this affects'ithe quality * * of the microfiche and hardcopY reproductions ERIC makes available * * vin the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS). EDRS is not * responsible for the quality of the original document. Reproductions * * supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original. * *********************************************************************** DOCUMENT RESUME ED 108 562 HE 006 785 AUTHOR Lichtman, aine TITLE Bring Your Own Bag. A Report on Free Universities. INSTITUTION Americxn Association for Higher Education, Washington, D.C. SPONS AGENCY Hazen Foundation, New Haven, Conn. PUB DATE 73 NOTE 138p. AVAILABLE FROM American Association for Higher Education,1 Dupont Clicle, Suite 740, Washington, D.C. 20036 ($4.00) EDRS PRICE MF-$0.76 HC-$6.97 PLUS POSTAGE DESCRIPTORS *Alternative Schools; Curriculum; *Educational Alternatives; Educational Change; Educational Environment; *Educational Innovation; Financial Support; *Higher Educttion; *Open Plan Schools; Statistics; Tables (Data) ; Universities IDENTIFIERS *Free Universities ABSTRACT This document has four parts. Part 1 defines free universities, describes the origins of the free universities of the 70's, breaks down current free universities into three kinds, and ends with a- chapter on teacher-learning pricesses. Part 2 contains quantitative information - numbers, age, location, enrollments, and funding. Part 3 lists what free universities do and describes the curricula of 67 free universities. P#rt 4 is a handbook for people who are planning or just beginning tO, set up a free university in their own area. Some major findings in, this document are:(1) free universities developed to meet the needs neglected by more traditional universities;(2) there are three broad kinds of free universities -- those that act like community centers to match peoples* common interests and resources, those that start out in acute reaction to surrounding educational and political conditions, and those that gradually work to change the educational environment while also responding to needs for additional community services; (3) free universities take on the characteristics of other universities as they become older; and (4)free universities surveyed can be characterized as having little growth, being locally inspired, and having low visibility learning arrangements in which needs take precedence over requirements.(Author/KE) *********************************************************************** Documents acquired by ERIC include many informal unpublished * materials not available from other sources. ERIC makes every effort # * to obtain the best copy available. nevertheless, items of marginal * reproducibility are often encountered and this affects'ithe quality * * of the microfiche and hardcopy reproductions ERIC makes available * * via the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS). EDRS is not * responsible for the quality of the original document. Reproductions * * supplied by EVES are the best that can be made from the original. * *********************************************************************** c 6.1 441470146444:10114-i14--. 4/it kkitryipAl U S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS COPY- EDLICATISIN &WELFARE RIGHTED MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION 0HIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO O /fisgli4 DUCED EXACTLY .kA RECEIVED FIEOM THE PERSON OR ORGNZATION ORIGIN To ERIC AND ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING AI !NG IT POINTS OF,VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH THE NATIONAL IN- SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STITUTE OF EDUCATION FURTHER REPRO- EDUCATION POSt TIONI OR- POL ICY DUCTION OUTSIDE THE ERIC SYSTEM RE- OUIREs PERMISSION OFTHE COPYRIGHT OWNER ONE DUPONT CIRCLE SUITE 780 . WO WASHINGTON DC 20036 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION The American Association for Higher Education, founded in 1870, offers representation in a single organization to persons from all segments of postsecondary educationfaculty, administrators, trustees, and students' alike from every type of-institution, public and private, large and small, two-year, four-year, graduate, and professional. This diversity of membership underscores AAHE's concern for the broad issues affecting education. The Association-believes that such mat- ters as the teachirg-learning process, decision making, academic freedom, economic representation, and institutional goals are common-interests that can best he served by a coming together of all who share them. Copyright (i) 1973 by the American Association for Higher Education Library of Congress card catalog no. 73-76422 ii 40a This 'book is divided into four parts.The first starts out by defining free u's, describes the origins of the free u's of the 70's, breaks down cur- rent free u's into three kinds, and ends with a chapter on teaching-learning processes.Part Two contains quantitative information, the only data currently available on free u numbers, age, location, enrollments, and funding.Part Three lists what free u's.do.The curricula of 67 free u's are described in some detail. A look at this section may suggest to yor not only what these free u's do, but also what you may be able to do in your own place.Part Four is the "How to Free U" section.It was stuck on as a kind of handbook for people who are planning or just beginning to set up a free university in their own are% Readers who don't need such a handbi ok can skip Part Four without missing much. FINDINGS Here, in a nutshell, are some of the major findings of the study: Origins.Free u's develzp to meet needs neglected by more traditional universities. Many have a symbiotic relationship with a traditional u, and, as often as not, the parent institution adopts many of the free u's programs. Kinds of Free U's. There are three broad kinds of free u's: those that act like community centers to match people with common interests and resources; thoie that start out in acute reaction to surrounding educational and political conditions; and those that gradually work to change the edu- --,cational environment while also responding to needs for additional com- munity services. Goals. Free u's are changing. The politically inspired anti-establishment free u of the past is being outlasted by centers responding tomore prac- tical and immediately useful community interests. Change. Free u's are not as "free" as they used to be. They take on the characteristics of other institutions as they become older.Free u found- ers find that both people and organizations need at least a little structure. So formal registration periods, fees to staff and in, tructors, locks to protect fii equipment, office hours, and sometimes even tests arebecoming part of the free u scene. Shared Patterns. The free u's surveyed can be characterized as little= growth, locally inspired, low-visibility learning arrangementsin which needs take precedence over requirements. Statistical Overview. In 1971, the following data applied to free u's: Number located: 110 Average age: 2.8 years (range:December '64-April '72) Location: Seven out of ten free u's locate on campuses, primarily at universities enrolling over 12,000 students.Independent free u's