Davidson College - Quips and Cranks Yearbook (Davidson, NC)

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EPC Slips One Over: New P.E. Requirements By scanning the course selection sheets, Ruthie Farrior, above, tries to choose just three suitable classes for the upcoming term. But who or what powerful force controls Ruthie ' s selection of courses? The Educational Policies Committee, led by the invincible Darth Vadar of Davidson accademia, T.C. Price Zimmerman, worked to make several changes in courses and grading that sent students and professors into an uproar. Early in 1982 the Committee debated whether to close the Center for Special Studies in order to strengthen the Departmental Majors. According to Zimmerman, the faculty questioned if faculty members could work at the Center without weakening their work with majors in their own departments. About 200 students and professors signed petitions protesting this move, and soon afterwards the Committee dropped this proposal. In the spring the Committee made two proposals, one of which escaped the student body ' s interest. A decision to change the P.E. requirements came late in the spring when students were occupied with other concerns. In sharp contrast to this announcement, the EPC raised the issue of a change in the grading system. Under the EPC proposal letter grades would have been dropped and replaced by a 4.0 point system. Proponents of the new scale felt this change would enable professors to make finer distinctions in grading their students and eliminate the need to convert letter grades to the 4.0 point scale in order to determine GPA ' s. Student reaction was largely negative. Fear of increased competition for grades prompted 450 students to sign an SGA petition opposing any changes in the grading system. Finally, after long consideration and debate by the Committee, the faculty voted down the proposal by a 2:1 margin. The faculty and students were successful twice in defeating the EPC ' s proposals. The Center remains open, and the grading system unchanged. However, the EPC ' s constant attempts to alter perhaps antiquated Davidson institutions serves as a reminder that changes will eventually come to even a school steadfastly committed to tradition. God and man at Davidson College. Both are here. That they are here is clearly exemplified in the course requirements: every student must take three religion and philosophy courses. In fulfilling this requirement, students encounter professors from two of Davidson ' s strongest departments. Professor Maioney (top), brings his theological knowledge to a discussion 22 Academics

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Davidson College, welcome to the modern age! This year the school acquired two Prime computers. The first, a Prime 450, is marked for administrative use; the second, a Prime 750, for academic use. During its first two weeks in operation the system recorded 1300 logins, attesting to its rapid acceptance by the college community. Students (top center), may use one of 32 video terminals scattered throughout the campus, and may speak to the 750 in several computer languages, including BASIC, FORTRAN, COBOL, and PASCAL. The system also offers a statistical package and word processing capabilities. Demand for the computer facilities has been sufficient to ruffle a few feathers near exam time, as students avail themselves of the computer ' s programs for editing and printing out term papers. For those who can ' t wait in line, Dr. Bernard (top left) reminds Rod Holman that sometimes a pencil and paper will suffice. The biology department, as well, benefited from new equipment this year. A rather large, anonymous donation enabled the department to purchase new microscopes. Rumor has it that the old scopes have joined the passenger pigeons in Dr. Putnam ' s museum. From far left, students explore biology beyond the classroom. Claire Groves and Betsy Johnson dissect a crayfish; Keith Martin uses one of the new scopes; and Dr. Lammers points out some local flora. The physics and chemistry departments (above), made do with the same old equipment. Brian Brost and Thomas Grimes (top) complete a Physics 36 lab. as Ron Emerson reads over a chem lab. Academics 21

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of Cervantes with Humanities students Joe Calvin and Julie Cheek. Emphatically demonstrating his point, Scott Campbell (above), questions Professor Mele after philosophy class. Kirsten McDonald (right), stops taking notes to ponder the results of anti- semitism in Professor Polley ' s Holocaust seminar. Students flood religion courses in attempts to fulfil! area requirements Academics 23