Michigan State University - Red Cedar Log Yearbook (East Lansing, MI)

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STUDENT GOVERNMENT STUDENT PUBLICATIONS Without organized channels of communication public opinion becomes little more than babble. This is no less and perhaps even more true of student opinion. An individual thought, be it complaint or merely comment, may appear but soon be forgotten in a dozen isolated con- versations on campus, but thoughtfully articulated in a letter to the State News, a presentation at Spartan Round Table, or a resolution before Student Congress, the same thought may find campus-wide support leading to positive action. Even more, these same avenues inform us, perhaps entertain us and frequently crystallize our ideas, thus provoking thought to begin With. ln this way, Student Voice is heard at MSU.

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Since the beginning of the cold war and our academic competition with the Soviets, the ivied halls traditional- ists of American Education have erupted in the acute pains of a dislocated complacency. The resulting reevaluation has been both vigorous and painful, not only because of the need for immediate change which has come to light, but because of the prospect of no end to change in the future. It is notable that such a philosophy of continued re- evaluation is not merely 10 years old at Michigan State, but has been present throughout the over 100 years of the University's history. We have ivy at MSU, a good deal of it, but on masonry, not minds. Michigan State was, in fact, founded to serve a growing society at large, rather than only an educated elite. In the last century the Michigan Legislature recognized the need of such a service. They saw that a progressive people, competent in their work, meant a prosperous state. And even more far-seeing was their realization that a free man, to remain free, must be educated in more than his vocation. The constant change and growth that such a concept im- plies has been happening in fact at Michigan State since its founding. At the beginning of the school year, Thomas H. Ham- ilton, Vice-President for Academic Affairs, put it this way: The problems which confront large public universities at this point in history are grave in nature. Basically these stem from the fact that our society in the middle of the Twentieth Century, cannot afford less than quantity edu- cation on a quality basis. The state university rather largely, although not exclu- sively, through its academic program must help the modern citizen become free in a triple sense. The citizen in our society cannot become free unless he can realize all of his creative potentialities in his vocation. He cannot become free unless he has the intellectual equipment and acuteness to be able to participate in social, economic and political decisions at the highest level. He cannot become free un- less and until he is capable of developing his humanity for the uses of contemplation and leisure. It is the duty of the public university to see that these three aspects of freedom are not shut off because of lack of opportunity. f'This is the responsibility of the University and indicates the dimensions of its function. As this task becomes ever more difiicult, so must the University increase both its resolve and capacities to deal successfully with it. THE EFFORT OFF CAMPUS The benefits of Michigan State University are by no means restricted to the 20,000 students on campus. Every college in the university participates in the growing Con- tinuing Education Program under the direction of Dr. H. R. Neville. Every year, through this service, instructors travel thousands of miles, reaching cities in every part of Michigan to present subjects ranging from art to retail advertising. Since 1951-52, when the Continuing Education service was first offered outside of Kellogg Center, the program's enrollment has increased over 700 percent. Nearly 10,000 people in 190 Michigan cities were enrolled in this year's classes. In addition to formal class work offered off campus, adult conferences numbering over 400 were held at Kel- logg Center this year. At the same time countless other educational services were offered through the Labor and Industrial Relations Center, the Trafiic Safety Center, the Ofiice of Community College Cooperation and the Institute for Community Development. The Cooperative Extension service alone has 275 field employees and 125 on-campus subject-matter specialists working through its 83 county offices. This program offers information and services throughout the State in Agricul- ture, agriculture marketing, home economics and 4-H activities. In the crucial area of science education on the high- school level, the Junior Engineering Technical Society with national headquarters on campus, has had national influence. In recent years JETS has done much to stimu- late interest in science and technology for secondary school students, giving many of them the early start so useful in science education. The most recent service to be added, and another MSU first, is WMSB, Michigan State's educational TV station now operating on channel 10 with the commercial station, WILX. Broadcasting on a standard frequency, WMSB can be received by any set within its range, thus reaching the entire central Michigan audience. Few educators are unaware of MSU's recognized leader- ship in the increasingly important area of international education. Through its overseas efforts, the University has brought American skills and ideals to the very border of the red dominated world. The largest overseas program of any university in South Viet Nam is conducted by MSU, while the University of the Ryukyus on Okinawa is MSU sponsored. In addition to these projects, the University has been active in Colombia, Brazil and Pakistan, and is considering a program for East Nigeria. THE CONTINUING CHALLENGE The new program at Oakland, to begin this fall when MSU-O welcomes its first students, has been designed for the future. Throughout the year, distinguished educators and national figures have been gathering at MSU-O for seminars on the planned curricula, contributing invaluably from their thought and experience. The effectiveness of Michigan State's working philoso- phy, on campus, throughout the State and the Nation, and overseas, suffers no lack of indorsement. The ideal of quantity education on a quality basis has been expressed by MSU in the language of hard effort, and will be per- petuated in a continuing policy of far-sighted planning. 19

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