Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-04-07
Urges PubIIeIty for unIversItr.

aHalrs IN summary form was given out
last week This is the report to the
board and not the report OF the board
to the legislature. Every angle of the
activities of the university and a criti-
eism OF what the institution is doing
tnat II should not do and what it Is not
doing that it should do is made in the
report 1t covers some one thousand
nve hundred legal pages.
One of the most important recon.
mendations of the investigator is a
suggestion to abolish compulsory mill.
tary drill. There is nothing in the
university's relations with the federal
government to make military drill nee
essary. Because of this department.
says the report, the efficiency of the
department of physical training is re-
dueed three-fifths; the same amount
OF Time spent in teaching the arts of
peace and method of efficient citizen
ship would do more to advance the in
terests of the state.
Among the principal causes of un-
necessary expense which are ex-
planned in the detailed report are:
Lack Of an accounting system to show
unit cost for kinds of work, incluIing
lack of adequate time records Tor the
UNCONSTITUTIONAL force; classes of one.
two, three, four and FIVE students, and
under ten without notice of iustifying
reason for each; according to the only
official record s42 per week of salary
was spent upon one student in one
class (second semester 1913-14), or
Sl,ol2 per year; maladjustment of
schedules which causes wasteful use
OF space; sending out an S02-page cata-
logue which necessitates personal let.
tiers; inadequately supervised re-
search; overlapping of courses; unsu.
pc-vised administrative officers and
bureau heads; inadequate comparative
information when the budget is made:
construction or renting of additional
space when existing space could be
utilized; purchase of land at private
sale when the alternative OF condem-
nation might both reduce cost, estab-
fish a lower level for real estate in
Madison and help check the increase
in cost of living for students; losing
$4,000 during 1913-14) on commons
exhibit 2S) in spite of the large vol
ume of practically certain business, or
$4,000 if depreciation and interest be
charged; the fact that profits on a dor
mitory equal losses on commons does
not wipe out the loss; lack of informa-
ton regarding graduate and research
work; absence of a place or plan for
study by university management of
university problems and conduct; lack
of definition as to what quantity and
quality of contact with students is ex-
pected to be given by Instructors
whether fifteen hours, or eight, or
forty per week; failure of directors,
deans and president to know univer-
sity work from the side of classrooms;
failure to draw upon student and fac
ulty resources of information as to in
efficiency, waste and needs not yet
met; types of organization of faculty
and regents which lead to action with
out adequate inquiry; failure to use
students and faculty for reducing ad-
ministrative cost while supplementing
theoretical courses with practical field
tests; usurious interest paid on sum-
mer session salaries in leaves of abb
sence when not paid in cash; and abb
sence of information in the hands of
regents which would enable them to
exercise independent determinative
judgment. and inability to secure in
formation when they ask for it.
The report declares it Is clear that
when support of the university is
measured by numbers reached, the
university is not less literally support
ed than any other public educational
activities.
The suggestion is made that high
school inspection should give away to
high school visiting; that the state
laboratory of hygiene should be made
an integral part of the state board OF
health; that further investigation be
made of the foreign language require
ments; and many other changes and
improvements provided.
The pensioning of Wisconsin pro-
fessors also comes in for comment.
Responsibility for retiring or pen
sioning professors of the university
says the report, would be better
borne by the state instead of shifting
this responsibility and the responsible
ity for studying higher educational
problems to the Carnegie foundation
for the advancement of teaching. This
would cost the state about one-third OF
a cent per capita per year, or would
add trifie over one-fourth of a cent
to the tax on property assessed at
$1,000"
Commission Announces New Orders.