The San Francisco call., 1897-03-26
A ROAST
FOR THE
FACULTY
Plain Words of Editor Hop
per of the Occi-
dent.
TROUBLE BREWING IN
BERKELEY.
Student Journalism Is Turned
Against College Pro-
tesSors.
IT MAY END IN A COURSE OF
SUPPRESSION.
Nervy Remarks That the University
Authorities Do Not Like and
May ST: Upon
1T MAY END IN A COURSE OF
SUPPRESSION.
Merry Remarks That the University
Authorities Do Not Like and
May Si. Upon

BERKELEY, CAL, March 25.-Editor
Hopper C9S) of the Occident sprung one
more sensation in his weekly to-day, by
publishing an article on the system of
university government at Berkeley which
has aroused much discussion. The name
stRienzf' was signed TO the production,
which is an attack upon President kel-
logg and the faculty in general The
writer discusses affairs with singular free
dom. and it is whispered that the faculty
may sit upon such methods of iourn alism.
Among the students the matter is
looked upon with varying views, but
there is a general tendency to object to
suca matter being published, anony
mously at least.
"Rienzi" states that the university is
mot so much single Institution as a
number of separate departments held to-
gether by a common name and common
treasury. Each department head is a sort
of petty sovereign suspicious OF his neigh
bors, jealous of his rights and owning
hut scant allegiance TO the central au-
thority."
The chief evil arising from this state of
affairs is declared 10 be that lit stands as
an effectuai bar to the university ever get
ting anu keeping a president of the stamp
it needs. The nervy student writer says
further:
1t is an open secret that the heads of de-
partmentS do moi want strong hand at the
helm. A man OF energy and idea, at the
head of the university, possessing the conf
dence of the regents would mean an end to
departmental autonomy, the ideal 10 which
our rofessOTs have steadily and persis tently
worked. and to-day practically attained. With
the position of head of department abolished.
the power going with the position would
gradually fall more and more to the president.
1t would then be to the best interest OF every
one to have that position held by strong,
broad-minded, progressive, scholarly man,
and all would unite toward that end. With
the greater holnogeneity. that this would
bring we might hope to see an emo TO the
cliques anu intrigues, plotting and counter
plotting that to-day run riot In the govern
ment of the university.
As to the faculty st large the following
remarks are made:
A large department ought to have two or
three men of ability and reputation. But
this is not possible unless we once and for all
give up the idea OF having only one full pro-
lessor in each department If we are to have
several men OF equal ability they must have
equal rank. No university can hope to be-
come great which having once selected its
departm chief is ever after debarred secuT-
ing another man of talent and reputation.
Such condition of affairs, dangerous for any
university, is doubly dangerous for one just
beginning to develop graduate department
and still saddled with department heads
obtained during and suited 10 its college days.
Our present absurd system compels us to
sit idly by waiting for incompetent men to
grow old and retire while the growth CT the
university is retarded or perverted.
The remedy f. + these evils is declared to
be abolition of departmental government.