Posted by Mike Biel on January 05, 1998 at 23:39:14:
Everybody ought to read Gerry and Maya's "Temple Then and Now" section. It is an eyeopener. Thanks to the info on it I posted the following on the SCAT Bulletin Board (no need in keeping all the good stuff just to ourselves.)
I can't believe it. Temple University has actually
instituted an examination that is required
to gain library privileges? A test that is so difficult
that an upper level Honors Student
Dean's List Sophmore with a 3.72 GPA and an IQ of 137
has been unable to pass? A test
so hard that a black market has developed?
Now, I don't
remember Temple ever
emphasizing the library. We rarely were assigned term papers. Back in
the 1960s the
library was closed on the weekends and it took three years for the Dorm
Council to
FINALLY get them to open it three whole hours on the weekends: Sunday 2 to 5
PM. But
this is asanine.
This is a big step backwards for education. At the universitiy
where I teach
we ENCOURAGE the students to use the library. I BRING my classes to the
library.
They are assigned work that they are expected to use library facilities. We don't have
a
test that keeps them out of the library. What is wrong that the faculty has not objected
to
this policy?
Now Temple wants to tear down the Baptist Temple and Thomas Hall
because
they think that enrollment has been slipping because the campus does not look
modern
enough because of these old buildings. They're going to tear down Thomas Hall and
put up
a square cinderblock dorm and think that students will flock to Temple because of
it.
Perhaps the enrollment problem has something to do with finding that they can't get
library
privileges. Maybe the administration should have used some of the Apollo's $60
million on
library expansion if that is the library's problem. Priorities.
Michael Biel, Ph.D.
R-TV B.S.'68
Michael Biel
Owingsville, KY USA - Monday, January
05, 1998 at 23:27:43 (EST)