The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-06
PLANS CABINET FOR COLUMBIA
DIR. BUTLER WOULD ELEVATE
DEANS TO REAL EXECUTIVES.

worth While. He Tells the Trustees. Even
to Relieve Them OF Teaching-Argues
for His shorter College Course Plan
The trustees Of Columbia University
made yesterday, at their first meeting after
vacation, formal announcement Of gifts
amounting to 81, 53s,2e5. In this sum, how
ever, are included the gifts of $1,000. 900
from Joseph Pulitzer for school Of journal
ism; Of 100000 from Marcellus Hartley
Dodge for dorInitory and 100000 for a
chapel, which have unofacially been made
public. The gifts for the year amounted
to 81 ,72l 1896.
New gifts include $4,000 from an anony-
nous giver for the general purposes OF
the university, s8,sl5 from alumni for the
fund for the purchase of South Field, 5000
from st. Bartholomew's Church for the
department Of Oriental languages, $500
from F. Augustus Schermerhorn for the
department of architecture, 5000 from
George Foster Peabody for South Field,
and 81 OPS from friends for the German
lecture fund.
In announcing the taking over Of South
Field. at a cost of 81 900 900, a resolution Of
thanks to James Speyer for forming the
syndicate which bought and held the prop
erty for Columbia was adopted.
President Butler submitted in his annual
report proposal to form cabinet Of
the deans of the schools connected with
the university and to increase the powers Of
the deans as the executive heads Of their
schools, discoursed at length on the plan
for shorter college course and presented
again the university's need for $40 900
more money.
The deans at present are the admins
trative officers Of their respective faculties
and are chosen by them for five years. The
Office carries much hard work and no pay.
President Butler says
1t is now advisable, particularly in the
professional schools Of the university, that
the office Of dean should be made a separate
joyed by the deans OF Barnard College and OF
Teachers College. Subject to the reserved
dean might well be, in effect, the responsible
executive head Of that part Of the university
to which he was assigned The deans, with
or administrative council. and the teaching
force would be largely set free from the bur-
den of executive work SO damaging 20 the
ambition Of the productive scholar,
The cost Of the change would not be small,
for we should want the services OF the best
and most experienced persons anywhere to
the cost would be returned to the university
many times In the increased prosperity and
efficiency or the several schools.
AS to a shorter college course, DR.. Butler
says that canvass Of the opinion of the
professors of Columbia, made last spring,
showed that they are practically unanimous
in favoring college course of two or more
rs' di1ra mr. nj fJx,N orr nrfa
years in scientific school of collegiate
rank, or equivalent examinations, as a
requirement for admission to each Of the
professional schools of Columbia Univer-
sity This means that the sentiment of
the teachers Of Columbia University Is
instruction to literally trained students,
and that it is equally strong in support
of the American college,
committee consisting of President
Butler, the dean of Columbia College and
Profs. Peck. Cattell, Hallock, G. r. Carpen-
ter and Sloane hopes to be able to report
on this matter to the faculty in the coming
year.
The university's need for 1000 900 DR..
Butler declares is imperative. OF this
s., 500 900 would be for buildings, s., 900 600
to pay for South Field $4,000 900 to pay
the funded debt and $,8OO,OOO to provide
an annual income OF 500 600 to meet pressing
needs.
The annual report of John Mclean Nash,
treasurer of the corporation, showed the
income Of the corporation for 1923 to
have been $95S, $40 80, and the actual running
expenses 3o42 1928, leaving a balance of
$l6,35l. 10 on the educational side. There
was, however, interest on the universities
debt amounting to 3l03. 1922 90, leaving a
deficit OF ]S7,571.14 for the year
1t was announced that no nominations
for the advisory board of the school of
journalism had been received The board
Is to be appointed by the trustees upon the
nomination of Mr.. Pulitzer, who ia still
absent from the country and will not make
these nominations until after his return
in November. Work upon the building
will be suspended until the plans have been
submitted to the advisory board. when
constituted. AS IA result it is not likely
that the building can be completed and
the School of Journalism opened in Septem-
Der, 1904, as expected.
The registrars report shows that 4,5O7
students attended the university and its
schools last year, exclusive of l,l86 ex-