Seton Hall University - Galleon Yearbook (South Orange, NJ)

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WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT? Five University administrators reflect upon their jobs and offer their opinions on Academics, Student Life and Admissions at Seton Hall Seton Hall University: What’s it all about? A wild night in the Pub? An exciting basketball game in the gym? Or a hard day hitting the books for a test? To Vice President for Academic Af- fairs Dr. Peter M. Mitchell, academics is what it’s all about. It is the primary reason why students attend school — the focal point of one’s college days. However, college and academics are more than just that to Dr. Mitchell. Seton Hall not only provides students with an education, but also gives them the atmosphere for learning how to make value judgements and ethical decisions. To Acting Vice President for Student Affairs Margaret F. Hoppe and Dean of Students David G. Kostka, college is certainly not just going to classes. Ac- ademics and extracurricular activities go hand in hand, providing students with the best possible experiences dur- ing their college years. To Director of Admissions Lee W. Cooke, proving that Seton Hall is the best University for prospective fresh- men is his job. He knows why students come to Seton Hall — and why they don’t. His view reflects their decision of whether or not to enroll at the South Orange campus. Along with Director of Financial Aid Alphonse Rylko, he realizes the importance of recruiting — especially in times when the number of students seems to be diminishing and students are considering their ex- pense budgets more carefully. These three facets of Seton Hall life — academics, student life, and admis- sions — are all reviewed in the follow- ing pages. Members of the GALLEON staff talked with five University ad- ministrators and interviewed them with regards to their present function on campus as well as their service to Seton Hall during the past few years. Their comments ranged from reflec- tions upon their changing roles to some interesting remarks about future students and the future of Seton Hall University. The serious side of Seton Hall: Academics When one looks back upon his col- lege days, certain memories will al- ways remain clear: ‘‘Rutgers defeated at the Garden . . . SPB presents Bruce Springsteen . . . $2.00 a pitcher.” It is this “life outside the classroom” which students tend to reflect upon the most. Yet, besides all the parties, the homecomings, the concerts, and the basketball games, there exists the seri- ous side of Seton Hall — academics. Higher education, like everything in this world from grocery bills to mod- ern automobiles, comes in contact with change. Influenced by many factors — ranging from the Vietnam War to the Civil Rights Movement — this change has caused students to experience their education in a different light. Certain key phrases come to mind: Pass fail option, life experience credits, CLEP testing. After this preliminary fog disappears, other statements then become apparent: liberalization of cur- riculum, grade inflation, and decaying college standards. Where does this leave the student? Although higher education has been accessible to a greater amount of peo- ple, students are learning that a good education and a good job are “best of friends” and that today’s employers are finding it increasingly distasteful to discover the words pass fail. A reaction must naturally follow. Thus, a return to the basics is upon us. Dr. Peter M. Mitchell, Vice President of Academic Affairs, sees the seriousness of today’s students and — in turn — poses the following question: “What are the minimal standards that are necessary for any young man or young woman to join the company of edu- cated people?” Mitchell looks to the Seton Hall stu- dent as he or she responds in three basic objectives. The first of these is the mastery of fundamental skills. One must be able to write clearly and force- fully, think critically and logically, and grasp basic mathematical and sci- entific methodologies. In reaction to the over-specialization of education, the second objective con- cerns the “core” requirements of the curriculum structure. Presently being restudied and reorganized, the “core” curriculum of Seton Hall attempts to balance the interests of students and provide a well-rounded education. Finally, the third objective for higher Academics 25

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Clockwise from left: Robert J. DeValue, Vice President for Business Affairs; Margaret F. Hoppe, Acting Vice President for Student Affairs; John A. Cole, Treasurer; Peter M. Mitchell, Vice President for Aca- demic Affairs. 24 Academics

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education is to create an atmosphere through which students can under- stand and experience the importance of moral and ethical problems. The importance of developing a proper sense of right and wrong is amplified by value judgements of democracy and freedom in an American institution, along with the Church’s teachings of a Catholic university. Comparing these objectives directly with Seton Hall, Dr. Mitchell com- ments, “We cheat our students if we pretend that knowledge of fundamen- tals is unimportant. We lie if we suggest that learning is easy. We falsely profess if social adjustment and feeling good are the desired ac- complishments in a course of study rather than a firm grasp of the ele- ments necessary to a mastery of any discipline.” What does the future hold for higher education here at Seton Hall? Well, as grocery bills continue to skyrocket and car styles continue to change, educa- tion will also follow in an eternal, evolutionary process. Mitchell predicts that “teachers will realize that their chief duty is not to scorn students for their inability to comprehend but rather to help them in overcoming their weakness. Students will in turn understand their youthfulness requires constructive criticism that seeks to im- prove their skills. They may not like it, but they will be thankful later.” Seton Hall academics: descriptions flow from all directions, whether it’s the “whole human experience,” the “enhancement of one’s life,” or the “broadening of educational apprecia- tion.” Students, however, are free to choose their favorite and, in conclu- sion, here lies the true strength of Seton Hall. The Middle States Report of 1973 describes the campus as “an open, friendly environment.” Perhaps the biggest academic memory of Seton Hall will be the informal, casual op- portunity to know one another. Indeed, academics at the Hall is not a brain- washing but rather a relationship that will, hopefully, be a lasting one. Unlike the basketball game whose echoing cheers eventually fade away or the rock star’s voice which loses its freshness or even that glass of beer which has lost its head and become warm, the academic relationship of Seton Hall can endure forever. Active involvement at Seton Hall: Student Life It was the era of the Vietnam War and the stormy protests which were erupting at colleges across the nation when Dean Kostka came to Seton Hall. In fact, Kostka’s arrival followed a serious protest incident in which a number of students, faculty members and administrators were injured in a war protest-related encounter with the Essex County Sheriff’s Department. In a sense, Seton Hall in 1970 was a 26 Academics