Evening star., 1959-11-12

The Evening Star, in its
editorial of November S,
stated. Most Of the criticism
incidentally has come from
the Alumni Association" and
referred to the University of
Maryland as "the College
Park institution" The first
rule of editorial writing as
well as reporting is to obtain
the correct facts. AS presi-
dent of the Alumni Associa-
ton. of the University of
Maryland, I must inform The
Star that the Alumni Coun-
Gil, on the basis of extensive
study, has recommended an
enlargement of the board of
regents not as a criticism OF
the university but to assist
in its further growth.
It is true that individual
alumni have severely
criticized the administration;
however. it is incorrect to
associate these criticisms
with the official position of
the Alumni Council. One of
the reasons necesSitating an
increase in the board of re-
gents is the complexity of
the university, which is not
solely a college Park inSti-
tuition" The University of
Maryland has. in addition to
it's facilities in College Park,
schools and colleges in Bal
timore and Princess Anne,
Md, 1t also has over 200
centers of education located
in Europe, England, the
Pacific area and Asia.
internationally recognized
leaders of intellec tual /
thought such as Tobias DAN
zig in the field of mathemat-
les, Nathan Drake in the field
of chemistry, Susan Har-
man in the field of English.
Fred Singer as a space physi-
cist and many others have
been among the scholars who
have served the University
of Maryland for many years.
The quality of the faculty at
Maryland is not new devel-
opment, and while these are
best known to philosophers
and educators, their pro-
grams have attracted the IA
vorable attention of newspa-
permen in other cities. For
example. more than a dec
ade ago William Cunning
ham, noted Boston colum-
mist. referring to the univer-
sity's courses, wrote, IF you
are looking for good place
to have your children given
a sane, well-balanced and
thoroughly American educa-
ton, write for the catalog Of
the University of Maryland
Maryland, despite tremen-
dous growth to serve the
needs of the people of the
State and with it's football
prowess, has been one of the
distinguished universities OF
the United States for many
years. Men from many ma
tions seek out the university
as its capabilities are inter.
nationally recognized. Alumni
include men such as Gale
Plaza. former President o.
the Republic of Ecuador, who
serve the free world assisted
by their sound educationa
background.
The implications Of some
newspaper stories of librar!
facilities ignore the plair
fact that the prior universit!
administration. during tn,
period of rapid growth of tn,
university. presented request.
to the Maryland Legislature
for funds for a new librar!
building and that arrange
ments for the present librar.
were completed under Dr.
Byrd's administration. Mos
important, not satisfied II
wait for a new building, spe
cialized libraries were devel
oped within the colleges T.
supplement the facilities o
the university's outgrown Ii
brary building.
The outside attack on d.
Elkins for a disposition t
bend under pressure, com
promise on academic stand
ards" taking a cavalier at
titude on issues involvin
academic freedom" or fo
behaving like a politician,
is ridiculous. 1t is true the
the Alumni Council of tn
University of Maryland too
a strong position against tn
IF Rule" and that the uni
versity changed the rule. Tn
rule provided that a studer
who received a grade OF #
could not have the IF" re