University of Detroit - Tower Yearbook (Detroit, MI)

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portunity to draw on the re- urces of one of the nation’s gest cities. U of D’s religious orientation ay well be one of its greatest as- ts. Because of it, the Universi- 's intentions have never been ider fire as those of many other stitutions. More importantly, it ves the University a chance to ork under some form of moral amework, while colleges all ound it are philosophically jundering. The University yuld capitalize on this rather an simply ignore it as it has in € past. The University is not unaware ‘its need for a thorough evalua- on of its academic programs. To iis end, the FIP has been fol- wed by the Programmatic Re- ‘ew, an institution-wide study itended to result in a restate- ment of the University’s purpose and goals. Every department has spent four months preparing a re- view of its activities which has been published and submitted to a board of faculty and adminis- trators overseeing the project. It is reported that the departments put some very hard work into the Review. The various sections have been collected and pres- ented to the Board of Trustees for its approval. If this is forthcom- ing, the President intends to im- plement the Programmatic Re- view’s recommendations imme- diately. The Trustees have not yet acted as of this writing, but their decisions probably will not be terribly important. Sadly, the Programmatic Review does not seem to be what the University really needs — an objective look at the value of U of D’s services. Much of the Review is clouded with pretentious rhetoric and tainted with self-interest. There is little in the way of a recognition that the nature of higher educa- tion has changed. It consists mainly of rather minor changes to traditional academic struc- tures. It appears that the University went about the Programmatic Re- view in the wrong way. Asking a department chairman to decide whether his field is still valuable seems a bit silly. A business firm, weighing whether to close one of its stores, wouldn’t consider ask- ing the store manager to decide. U of D has seen the value of ob- taining outside, unbiased help in dealing with its fiscal problems. It should seriously consider something similar for its academ- ic ones. The large, prestigious universi- ties can survive on the strength of their reputations, and the status of the degrees they confer. It may be possible for them to avoid coming to terms with themselves for some time. For U of D, how- ever, it is almost too late. As a medium-size school of medium quality, almost totally dependent on tuition funds to operate, it needs a unique product to sur- vive today. There is no doubt that it has the necessary potential. The groundwork has been laid. The real question is whether the University of Detroit will have the strength of will to follow through.

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FOREWORD BOOK ONE the setting downtown campus university center residence halls fisher administrative center briggs bldg., foley hall main library science, chemistry, C F bldgs... engineering bldg WE CESCIELIGES sDIC Sect uy saci © « 1 memorial bldg ‘eniiere Leltebez. 6 Oe ae ar 162 BOOK TWO organizations seniors patrons advertisers