The Modern University: Concerns for the Future

It is stated that there is little question that nat'l destiny is shaping today's U's in the US, rather than the other way around. Characteristic of the U's is the tendency to follow rather than to lead, & U's on the whole have failed to meet with intelligent initiative & the changing temper of student expectations. 'The idealistic energies of young men & women are being frittered away in large part, & our educ'al instit's are lapsing into a state of numbness, timidity or outright fear.' The U's must look squarely at the nature of educ they are offering their youth & ask themselves how directly it meets the requirements for development of logical, articulate, informed & thinking students. The trend toward activism by students must be met with a corresponding trend toward their preparation for the most intelligent & constructive kind of activism. The gradual abandonment by U admin'ors of the function of leadership in educ is a dangerous trend & could have profound effects on the future of higher educ. Other factors of change which must be dealt with in the near future include increased public funds for private Coll's & U's, & increasing pressure on the U's to emphasize more & more the service aspects of their mission. Sci & technology are also leading to sweeping changes in an area of U life that has remained comparatively untouched: the techniques of instruction & the whole process of learning. 'Unquestionably, we have the ability to create educ'al systems that match our times, not only by assimilating their sci'fic & technological discoveries but equally by strengthening the philosophical & ethical foundations upon which all new discoveries should properly be placed. This will not happen, however, unless academic leaders personally see to it, for the essence of their function is to be visionary.' E. Weiman.