University of Southern California - El Rodeo Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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PROFESSIONALISM AND THE UNIVERSITY In writing an essay on a subject of this sort, one frequently commences with a definition of the subject as found in the dictionary. In the Second Edition of Webster Unabridged we find, Profes- sion — the occupation, if not purely commercial, mechanical, agricultural or the like, to which one devotes oneself; a calling in which one professes to have acquired some special knowledge used by way either of instructing, guiding, or advising others, or of serving them in some art; as the profession of arms, of teaching, of chemist. The learned professions is a name often used for the professions of theology, law, and medicine. It is instructive now to turn to a recent (1960) College Edition of Webster ' s New World Dictionary of the American Language, where we read, Profession — a vocation or occupation requiring advanced training in some liberal art or science, and usually involving mental rather than manual work, as teaching, engineering, writing, etc.; especially medicine, law, or theology (formerly called the learned professions). Each of these definitions has important points not covered in the other; the concept of serving others in the first definition, and the idea of advanced training in the second. These features are included in the characteristics of any profession that are learned by every engineering freshman at USC: Associated with each profession is a great body of special knowledge; in practicing the profession, each member must recognize his responsibilities to the public over and above his responsibilities to his client and to other members of the profession. In addition to these basic characteristics of pro- fessions, we often refer to three particularly desirable features of professional work, often useful in helping the professional man to realize the advantages of his chosen career. The profes- sional man exercises a certain amount of personal discretion or judgment in the conduct of his job, whether it be a minor decision for a young person just starting in his career, or a very major one, involving human lives and millions of dollars of public (or private) money for the mature pro- fessional. His work is characterized by great variety. No two jobs are ever exactly alike, and the professional can never tell just what the day ' s work will bring. Finally, the professional operates in the very pleasant environment of other profes- sionals who are, in the main, cultured, interesting, stimulating and public-spirited individuals. The obligations of the professional man, as sug- gested by the third basic characteristic, are first to the public safety and the public purse, next to the welfare of his client, and third to his pro- fession and the other professionals in it. The pro- fessional has also an obligation to himself — which is really an obligation ultimately to the public — to keep his mental equipment sharpened. This usu- ally means continuous application of schooling beyond the baccalaureate degree. Some such schooling leads to advanced degrees, such as the master ' s and doctorate, while other programs are geared only to noncredit refresher types of courses. The real professional, of course, does not need the stimulation of organized courses. His is self-motivated toward reading in libraries and attending professional meetings, studying at home so as to keep himself abreast of swift-moving developments in his field. There is much question about what the University should be doing in cultivating a professional atti- tude in the student. From the first day, of course, the student in one of the professional schools at USC must learn that personal integrity is the key- stone of any professionalism, and the University, of course, promotes this attitude widely. In the School of Engineering there are about a dozen student chapters of national professional and honor societies. There are officer positions for all of the student body who wish to participate in such organization affairs. In this they learn effec- tive professional leadership, and the dean is more than happy to give his endorsement on the em- ployment application of any student who has been a leader on the campus. Professional leadership is one of the rarest commodities to find, because such individuals have in general already very good jobs and are commonly reluctant to leave them. In summary, the student in one of the professional schools at USC has every opportunity to gain not only the academic training and leadership exper- ience in the various student body positions and activities. If he fails to avail himself of these opportunities — either the academic or the pro- fessional — he is not only shortchanging himself, but by virtue of his taking up a seat in a limited student group he is depriving some more worthy student of his chance. In the School of Engineering — and in the other professional schools as well, I am sure — the students do in fact gain both types of training and experience. Such alert and dedicated students comprise the main reward to the faculty and administration for having cast their lot in the profession of education. A. C. Ingersoll, Dean of Engineering