Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-06-16
Maryland U. to Set
Course Standards
Requirements
To Be Told in
Absolute Terms
BY JAMES B. ROWLAND
Star Staff Writer

By JAMES B. ROWLAND
Star Staff Writer
The University of Maryland
next fall plans to disperse the
fog that may be clouding some
courses by having teachers es-
tabliSh absolute standards" to
be met in each course
DR.. Wilson H. Elkins, univer-
Sity president, told the Board
of Regents in College Park yes
terday that some teachers have
failed to point out clearly to
their students what they should
learn in certain courses.
In making an annual report
to the regents, DR.. Elkins said:
I'VE still do not have alb
solute standards in some
courses, and students do not
know exactly what is required
of them"
Earlier the board adopted a
record $16.6 million capital i'm
provement budget for l963-64
to help accommodate an ex-
pected doubling of enrollments
in the next 10 years over the
present 1880 students at Col
lege Park and Baltimore.
On the need for absolute
standards, DR.. Elkins said they
would eliminate the guessing
game" that sometimes occurs
between students and teacher.
At times, he said, too much
emphasis is placed on faculty
research and not enough on
actual teaching.
Maintain Teacher Ratio
While reporting a good aca-
demic climate at the university
with an able faculty, DR.. Elkins
said the teaching ranks still
could use some bigger tackles
and faster halfbackS."
In spite CT burgeoning en-
rollmentS that reached a peak
of 15,453 students in College
Park last October, the school
still has maintained a Ill stu
dent-teacher ratio, DR.. Elkins
said.
Enrolment increases are ex-
pected to total about 1000 a
year in College Park, with the
majority being in the upper
and graduate classes rather
than in freshman ranks.
DR.. ElkinS said his staff still
is studying the feasibility of
establishing a school of archi-
lecture. is revampirlg the Amer
lean civilization program re-
quired of all students and re-
viewing curricula. He hopes this
will result in the elimination of
some courses and the CONSOLE
dation Of others.
The proposed capital outlay
budget allocates sos million for
College Park, SOS million for
Baltimore departments and
$l96,000 for the State college at
Princess Anne.
Another $443, 700 is included
for equipping buildings under
construction, the bulk going to
a SIT million law school in Bal
timore and a 500-man dormi-
tory in College Park.
Sc Million Increase
The budget, more than Sc
million above last years re-
quest, will be submitted to the
State Board of Public Works,
which will forward it to the
Governor for presentation to
the Maryland Assembly in jan
uary.
The largest single item is
$50 million in Baltimore for
a medical school outpatient
building to replace one in use
since 1923. The new building
initially will have 100 beds
and be four stories high. but
is designed for an ultimate Is
floors.
In College Park, the larger
building requests are $2.4 mil
lion for arts and sciences; SIS
million for education; $925,OOO
for another 500-man dormitory:
$950,000 for botany, and $780,
600 each for animal-dairy SCI
ences and a physics addition.
Officials are expecting about
500 students in the special
eight-week summer session for
high school graduates seeking
admission but lacking C aver
age. Thier admission hinges on
their summer grades in English
plus government, sociology or
math.
In this qualifying summer
session started last year, 365
students attended and 1874 were
admitted in September.
In other business, the re-
gents eliminated the second
year of the basic Air Force
ROTC required of all men stu
dents. In September they still
will find the required first year
plus the optional third and
fourth years that lead to Air
Force Commissions. The cut
back was necessitated by the
Spiraling enrolment, shortage
of classroom space and lack of
an increase in the Air Force
teaching staff.