Southern Methodist University - Rotunda Yearbook (University Park, TX)

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WM o ,Na 0 I'm doing precisely what I want to do, states junior John Dorie, and at sixty-eight years of age he is fulfilling a dream few could achieve. Forgoing college to be a navy pilot in World War II, he never had a chance to complete the education he had started. Though his wife, children, and brother-in-law are all SMU graduates he never had the time to go back to school. It was a rough deci- sion to return to Southern Methodist, and it was a goal his friends said he could not realistically attain. Mockingly he states, they gave me six months, after which I would rejoin them out on the golf course. Being a student is a lot more demanding these days than it was back in the fifties, but the course loads are balanced out by the higher quality of pro- fessors, not only are they more dedicated but they are also more competent. He often laughs at the confusion centered around his being a student. He often gets applications for car loans and credit cards through the mail by companies that do not realize that he has owned such items for forty years. He recalls the funniest experience to be when he was invited to attend a rush party. The invitation was delivered over the phone by a student who kept asking Mr. Dorie for his son, the student. When he finally explained what was happening, the student was perplexed and apologized, to which Mr. Dorie replied that he was flattered, but thought he should decline. He finds the entire student body receptive, friendly, and eager to help or assist. And as far as studies are concerned, At my age and gauging from my success in business, I expected to make straight A's, it was a bit humbling to find out that it is easier to make a living than to be a student. He boasts of never cutting a class because writing your own tuition check is a great motivator. Yet the school does offer its share of frustrations, the most aggravating of which centers around a common one, that of the registration process. He does not see how complicated the F. process of adding and dropping is, and he does not understand why the school makes the whole affair so difficult. Yet, with all the pros and cons he feels that the university cannot go any other way but up. john Dorie has distinguished himself not only by his accomplishments and his extreme openness to students, but also because he is doing exactly what he wants to and this attitude can only make the university stronger as a whole. xi

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'w The position of Vice President for Student Affairs requires Walter Snickenberger to remain in touch with student interests, pursuits, and feel- ings. In his ten years with SMU, he has seen the school change, becoming progressively stronger academically, while increasing the number of students involved in various activities. He feels that in order for any school to have a successful student body it must maintain a balanced dicotomy be- tween the academically motivated and the organizationally motivated stu- dent. Finding both motivators in one student is the goal of this, and every administrator. Vice President Snickenberger sees the University more cohesive today than it was ten years ago due in part because it now acts more as an institu- tion, working together, making things happen for students. Upon arriving to SMU, the goals he set for the University were increasing the quality of academics and increas- ing activity and involvement. He sees the broad and flexible program offered by the University as having allowed many students to pursue their interests and obtain a more well balanced education. And while the school had made rapid and impressive gains, it faces many challenges ahead. The largest of which concerns the ability to afford the improvements it needs for the decade ahead. Vice President Snickenberger feels that any student qualified to receive an SMU education should not be denied the opportunity because of finances. He also feels strongly that we need to somehow fund student activities more complete- ly, whether this requires student dona- tions or fund raising. It is an issue that must be met because every year the students have larger and better ideas and look toward the school to fund them. He also thinks that one of the greatest assets of the University is its location. Just look at SMU's strength and reputation in the city our graduates occupy many of the leader- ship positions in business and politics, according to Snickenberger who also stated that this helps with the great challenge of competing with other private schools and UT in Austin. He further stipulates that he has never come to grips with the rich kids party school image. He feels that the strong academics override this perception because the admissions is fairly selective and the courses can de- mand much time and effort from the student. For students this means that they have to set priorities of academics first or they will not be returning to SMU. Snickenberger states that the positive experience felt by the students makes them better alumns. Increased involvement helps not only in organiz- ing the process for undergrads but also the continued commitment for graduates. In his ten years of service he has been most impressed by the friendly willingness of the students to cooperate in a positive manner with the administration so that the Univer- sity can work for the betterment of ,Z at if ' Q ' f f 1 each and every student. For this reason, the University is moving for- ward and the future is bright. .1 f 4