Evening star., 1954-12-19
Byrd Releases Reply
To 1o4S Criticisms
By Phi Beta Kappa

Beta Kappa chapter at the Uni
versity of Maryland so it would
indicate an absence Of high
scholastic standards" there, were
offered yesterday by DR.. II. C..
Byrd, former president of the
State institution.
Several weeks ago. DR.. Byrd
said, the Diamondback, campus
newspaper, printed a letter from
PIX in 1948 in which II sug-
gestions were made as to actions
Maryland should take in order
to justify placing a chapter at
College Park.
DR.. Byrd said Johns Hopkins
University and Goucher College
opposed three applications by
Maryland for a fraternity chap
ter but officials of both tbe
Baltimore schools have denied
this. The former Maryland pres
ident released the replies he says
were made to the 1948 sugges-
tionS.
Summary Of Position.
A summary Of his position
follows:
Suggestion No. /. The clear
cut separation Of the College of
Arts and Sciences from other
divisions Of the university.
Answer: "Is it possible to effect
q clear-cut separation as
you propose2 ;. It is true that
the Arts and Sciences College,
besides its majors, gives service
courses for the other colleges;
In short. allows students regis
tered in other colleges to take
basic courses in the Arts and
Sciences College.
But Is 1t not just as true that
in all universities the Arts and
Sciences College is a service de-
partment for other colleges such
as engineering, agriculture, etc.?
Students in engineering every
where take their basic work in
the Arts and Sciences College
-. (where) all educational work
In the college Is within the au-
thority Of the college itself.
Authority is vested in each de-
partment, SO far as the quantity
and quality of the educational
offerings are concerned. The
dean is the co-ordinating Of
ficer."
Dean for College.
2. Appointment of a dean of
the College of Arts and Sciences
who is completely devoted to the
liberal arts ideal and who will
be given a free hand
Answer: Unfortunately, dur
ing the war and for some time
after, we were not able to fill
the deanship because of difficulty
in finding the right man. .
However, this now has been done
and a new dean will come
In to take charge on June is.
The new dean is DR.. Leon P.
Smith, now dean of the College
of Arts and Sciences at the Uni
versity of Georgia. He has a
free hand in managing the af-
fairs Of the Arts and Sciences
College within. of course. the
broad university policy"
More Power for Faculty.
3. Bestowal upon the faculty
OF the College of Arts and Sci
ences Of full power with regard
to admissions. curriculum and
other academic matters
Answer: Technically, author
ity for admissions Is vested
in the General Admissions Office
OF the University. Just how the
faculty of the College of Arts
and Sciences would exercise full
power with regard to admissions
Is not quite clear to us, ex-
cept in the formulation of regu-
lations governing admissions, in
which the faculty of the college
. now participates. So far as
the curriculums and other aca-
demic matters are concerned, the
faculty has complete power :"
Curriculum Committee.
4. Appointment of a cur
riculum committee (for)
continuous study of require
ments. standards (etc.).
Answer: "Such a committee
was appointed in 1947 for this
particular purpose. :"
S. Restoration of the Depart
ments of Economics and Political
Science to their proper place in
the College of Arts and Sciences.
Answer: In our opinion
(these departments) are in their
proper place. The University of
Pennsylvania, the University of
Michigan, the University of
Illinois, the University of Okla
homa and the University of
Indiana, and other universities
Of this type have their Depart
ment of Economics. particularly,
exactly located where ours Is.
These colleges have chapters of
Phi Beta Kappa. :"
Department of Classics.
s. Establishment of strong de-
partments of classics and
philosophy.
Answer: 1.-THE University of
Maryland before World War II
instituted q department of clas-
sizes, but there was little or no
demand for that work. The
university has no demand now
that would justify the es-
tablishment Of a big depart
ment of classics. The uni
versity has. this year. reinstated
its Department of Philosophy
:. (which} bids fair to become
exceptionally strong.
Z. Elimination Of applied
courses from the Arts and Sci
ences curriculum.
Answer: (ThiS) %. would
cause the University of Mary
land to flee in the face of what
is good educational procedure
:"