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ERIC Number: ED022426
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1969
Pages: 12
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Changing Internal Structures: The Relevance of Democracy.
Elliott, Lloyd H.
Because the scene of the struggle to control men's minds has shifted from other battlefields to the university, the university must reappraise its role and responsibilities as a democratic institution within a democracy. The important question is not "who shall govern the university," but "for what end shall the university be governed." Procedures must be established to nurture the pursuit of truth in the academic program, the most fundamental work of the university. Institutional reform may be approached in two major ways. One is to create a departmental advisory body comprised of professors, students, alumni, and the public. Its duty would be to formulate recommendations for change in the academic program which would then be presented to the department chairman and faculty. A byproduct of this arrangement would be increased communication among constituencies as new and closer working relationships were established. The second area of reform involves the total abolishment of the concept of "in loco parentis." Academic freedom must be firmly upheld so that all voices may be heard. Participation in governance calls for objectivity and personal responsibility, for the effectiveness of the institutional structure will depend on the extent to which individuals can accomodate themselves to the university and its goals. (JS)
American Council on Education, 1785 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036
Publication Type: N/A
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: N/A
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: American Council on Education, Washington, DC.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Note: Paper presented at 51st Annual Meeting of American Council on Education, 1968; to be published in THE FUTURE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY, John Caffrey, ed.