 

 

LeMOYNE has an annual work-day during
which sludenis clean up the xchooi
grounds anti have an all-around good time

 

doing it. Special events such as this one
have been ioqgeated as a likely time for
short term exchange visits.

LeMoyne Program Needs Overhaul

By KRYS NEUMAN

Ed. Note: The following
article about the LeMoyne—
Grinneii exchange program is
based on a questionnaire
sent to students who have
participated in the program
and those iacnlty and adminis-
tration members who have
been in some way involved
wilh it.

Last Week the 5&3 printed
the first part ot the article
which dealt with criteria for
selectlng a good exchange
student.

Although LeMoyne College re—
spondents drew a picture of the
ideal exchange student similar
[0 that oi crinnellions, some of
them were quite openly critical
or previous Grinnell representa-
lives on the exchange.

LeMoyne faculty would re-
quire a student to be first and
loremost “open, honest and
direct" In manner and motia
vated primarily by the sincere
desire to understand and con-
tribute to a different environ-
ment. One participant required
that exchange students from
both schools “restrain their
parochialism and pride."

The tendency toward coit-
structive community involve—
ment was emphasized in the
choosing of applicants, far
and above the consideration
of grades. “Students should be
selected for the program who
have indicated in past actions
(not 1qu in writing) that they
can participate constructive-
ly in community pursuits.
This criterion should not be
come a means of rejecting
students whose action has of-
tended some members of the
college but it sho‘uld he used
to eliminate any applicants
who have little or no actual
experience in communal ac-
“on.”

Another response called for
the Student who would “get
something started” and sug-
gested possibilities "n musici—
an,_ actor, political activist,
photographer, club organizer,
journalist or unorthodox thinks
er.” A third response listed
ways in which Grinnell students
had already contributed effec-
tively on a "give-and-taxe in-

volvement” in academics too,
noting that there has been
"conspicuously less success in
this area." in fact. it was re—

ported that some Grinnell stu-
dents lnsulted LeMoyne by the
condescending attitude that they
displayed toward Classwol’k and
even toward other students at
LcMoyne.

This particular response went
on to say that a cooperative at<
titude in the classroom was pal"
ticularly important at the pres-
ent time since LeMoyne stu-
dents. in increasing numbers,
are striving toward acceptance
at Northern graduate schools
where much competition will be
in the form of Northern white
students. Grinnell students —-
Vain or otherwise — nuw rep-
resent the measure of competi-
tion.

“The Grinnell representative
to Leivloyne must be a good
student, but the kind ui good
student who is able to share
knowledge rather than pontiii-
cafe on it."

The answers of the Leiloyne
faculty to the questionnaire
pointed out that Grinnell stu-
dents should be prepared for
the fact that they affect the en-
tire Leivloyne community even
by their unintentional actions
it was reported, tor instance,
that previous exchange students
seriously decreased the quality
oi academic life at LeMoyne
by effecting a too great in-
crease in the social life.

Further, instead of chang-
ing stereotype race concepts
about white students they re-
portedly reintorced them (al-
though only among those who
did not know them personal-
ly). “For example, it was
quite widely believed, espe-
cially among women students,
that Grinnell students came
to LeMoyne lor one reason,
sex; or, by those more in-
clined to be charitable, for a
good time; and/or because
they were looking for an easy
academic load (this last View
was contirmed by some crin-
nellians themselves)"

Both LeMoyne and Grinnell
participants in the survey sug~
gested expansion of the pros
gram beyond the basis of the
present student exchange.

They all reacted enthusiastic-
ally to the idea oi faculty ex-
changes, although only one pro
fessor has participated in such
an exchange since [he incep-
tion or the program several
years ago ‘The Leivloyne-Grin-
nell exchange was originally
seen as a studentrfaculty pro

gram for which it was assumed
[here would he a Substantial
interest," said Registrar Dale
Terry who is the former ad-
ministrator of the program at
Grinnell. The present admin'
trator of the program here,
Richard H. Winters (Associate
Dean of the College) now com-
plains about insuiiicient appli-
cants.

Ned Donuhoe (theater) is
the one proiessor who has
participated in the exchange.
(He is now on a leave of ab-
sence to San Francisco State
College in California). “Dona.
hoe‘s visit was a great boon
to the drama program at Le-
Moyne as well as a great
stimulation to the campus in
general and a wonderiul ex-
perience inr Donahoe him-
seli. i think more opportunity
should be made available for
this type or program it it is
a desire on the part oi the
faculty,” Wrote one of the ex-
change students.

Faculty exchanges were men-
tioned as a means of strength-
ening specific departments and

of providing courses that could
not otherwise be offered. One
exchange student used the ex-
amples of art and psychology
at LeMoyne; these are not yet
major iields of study there and
could easily use an added boost.

Joseph a. Wall, Chairman of
the Faculty at Grinnell, noted

 

LeMOVNE COLLEGE i! concentrated in
aeveral blocks, isolated romewhst from
the surrounding city. but adiaeant to the
predominantly lower»clasa

campus it a

that his own department (his-
tory), for example, would bene-
fit by a special seminar on the
LeMoyne course “Civil War and
Reconstniction."

Wall was or the opinion that
the exchange program has been
“too much for the individual
and not for the community” and
that “Grinnell has not taken as
great advantage of the program
as has LeMoyne.” He felt that
faculty exchanges would more
eitectiveiy serve the entire
community.

Wall pointed out the reason
[or hesltnncy of Grinnell fac-
ulty in the past and a likely
solution: “There has to be
general agreement that a fac-
ulty exchange to LeMoyne
does not irnpiy giving up a
leave of absence or affect a
sabbatical leave —- being part
of the LeMoyne community is
still being part of Grinnell’st"

Commenting on the total pro-
gram Well said: “We haven’t
begun to touch the question of
exchanges. Maybe we have
been too formal in our think»
lng, not experimental enoughl"
Certainly the questionnaire re-
spondents had a wide variety of
ideas of an experimental nature.
Telephonic lectures were sug—
gested along with visiting lec-
tureships. o ther suggestions
were the trading of art exhibits
and basketball teams and re-
ciprocal visits to special events
and conferences, such as “The
Grinnell Weekend." One parti —
pant thought communication
would be greatly improved by
exchange columns in the school
newspapers.

“The most creative and in-
terest-arousing Grimlell et-
lorts on the LeMoyne campus
were the production of Sar-
tre‘s The Flies, supervised by
Mr. Donahue but acted by
LeMoyme students, and Rev-
erend Dewey’s talk on exis-
tentialism and three-hour long
discussion with interested stu-
dents. The exportation of in-
dividual singers and jazz
groups from LeMoy to
Grinnell has good possib es,
as do sports team exchanges.
Lectures alone don’t hold
much interest (for one thing,
the contact is too transitory
to be very elfective)."

Many questionnaire partici»
pants were excited about the
visit to LeMoyne by Grinnell’s
student drama production of
“Slow Dance on the Killing
Gruund‘K But finding financial
support for this production was

hauling area, The Grinnell student going

a great difficulty of the produc-
tion staff. The theater depart-
ment has no funds allotted for
road tours and the budget for
the LeMoyne program makes no
allowance for such special proj-
eels.

The questionnaires brought
out the fact that there is a lack
of available funds for experi-
mental exchanges between Le-
Moyne and Grinnell and, in fact,
student exchanges anywhere.
James H. Stauss, Dean of the
College, said that if such pro-
grams are to be instituted soon,
recommendations must be sub-
mitted to the 1967158 budget.

Both Grinnell and LeMoyno
participants expressed the de-,
sire to continue reciprocal
programs but agreed that ma-
jor changes are needed.

A LeMoyne professor sug-
gested that an orientation pro-
gram "should give the students
an informed awareness of the
novel aspects of the commu»
nity they will be entering, so
that they will be able to dis-
tinguish between ‘special reac-
tions‘ and 'personal reactions’,
both in themselves and in oth-
ers." The example given was
that of the hostility with which
students were forced to deal
when four Grinnell women en-
tered the LeMoyne environ-
ment, creating a greater imbal-
ance to the already predomi-
nantly female environment.

Many participants complained
about the lack of knowledge at
Grinnell about the exchange
program and the subsequent
lack of enthusiasm. The sugs
gestion was made that the col-
lege inform students sooner and
more thoroughly about the pro-
grams Some felt that a variety
oi limited exchange programs
would increase applications tor
the full semester at LeMoyne.
Others Said that a better organ-
ized welcoming program for Le-
Moyne students and iollownp
program for returning Grinnell
students was a necessity. Slides
or motion pictures were sug-
gested for the followup coffee-
hour.

Finally, some questionnaires
stressed a need for expansion
at the program into two semes-
ters. Some LeMoyne faculty ielt
the interruption of a full se<
mester to be very detrimental,
The suggestion was made that,
during times when LeMoyne is
overcrowded, Grinnell Students
could still participate in the ex-
change as housing could be
found for them in town.

to LeMoyne hat the opportunity to be.
come acquainted with an environment
totally different from his accustomed
middle-class orientation.

sails Photos by xryt Nrumu

 

