New-York tribune., 1918-05-10
Faculty To Be Self-Govern-
ing in First Institution
of Its Kind
Will Be Opened
Here Next Fall
No President to Dictate
Policy; Students to Have
Voice

New York is to make the first con-
crete experiment in education for the
new age"
Next fall a university, organized
along new democratic lines, with a
faculty self-appointing and self-gov-
crning, is to be opened in this city
in the interests of modern political
science and the Current issues of real
life" For many months plans for this
institution have been quietly maturing.
Now formal announcement of the prof.
ect comes in the issue of "Tha Nation"
for May II.
The intention of the founders-prom-
lnent among whom are Winston
Churchill, the novelist; Mrs. Willard
Straight and Herbert Croly, editor of
"The New Republic"--is to eliminate
all the Journalism, the red tape and ad-
herence to tradition which they declare
now retard the free development of
professors ahd students alike.
At the new university there will, con-
sequently, be no president to direct
policy. Trustees will be appointed by
the faculty, and the students will have
voice in the conduct of affairs For
NAL departments are to be eliminated
anc administrative machinery, says
"The Nation" in its announcement, ere
duced to the vanishing point"
Unrestricted Social Research
The APPLICATION of scientific methods
and of unrestricted research into the
needs OF the changing social order will
at all times animate the activities of
the new institution In the lecture
halls chief stress is to be laid upon
instruction in corporation management
and control labor organization, and
city, state, national and international
administration. No elementary in
struction of immature students" will
be undertaken.
Hereby, sponsors for the scheme
point out, humdrum drill, with its ac-
compartment of grades and marking
and reports, can disappear, leaving the
professors hands free for other work.
AT the same time there will be semi
mars and other courses leading to de-
grees for specially equipped students.
Among educators last night the name
of Professor Charles A. Beard. former
Iy of Columbia. was mentioned as a.
probable member of the faculty. 1t is
also said that Professor John Dewey,
of Columbia, is keenly interested in the
new project
The founders, however, refuse to al
low individual names to enter into the
matter at this stage. They content
themselves with saying that they pro-
pose to secure from universities
throughout the country selected corps
OF specialists in the several branches
of social science.
Will Select Other Professors
These men will, in turn, select addi-
tional professors. The dismissal of
any member of the faculty can be
effected only by the faculty itself act
ing as a whole
Foreign professors, also, it is
planned. will be invited mere to con-
duct courses, while all the teachers
will be relieved of administrative re-
sponsibilities and set free to investi-
gate, publish and teach as they see
mt. AS "The Nation" expresses it.
They will be responsible to nobody
but themselves and the truth"
The support of this institution is to
be provided for by an annual endow-
ment or guaranteed fund of s15OOOO.
most of which has already been sub
scribed for the initial year.
Another important phase of the uni
versity's work will consist of bring
Ing together representatives of diff
1erent classes and occupations for dis
cussion of current problems.
The existing universities" saws
ne Nation" in commenting on this.
UNFORTUNATELY cannot perform this
task with full effectiveness.
Ihey have difficulty In providing the