The Show Goes On

Most of the scenery is built, and the actors all know their lines. The dress rehearsal took place this week. And now, the stage is set for the Faculty to take a final vote on the Core Curriculum next month.

The lead in the drama, Dean Rosovsky, is probably not suffering from any stage fright as he thinks about the approach of the final vote. The Faculty, after all, was cooperative enough in its meeting this week to approve two amendments endorsed by the Faculty Council. No one at that meeting had much to say in opposition to the Core plan.

When the Faculty approved the amendments--popularly known as the by-pass and "floater" proposals--it changed the script a bit. The new proposals would allow a new group of characters--standing committees--to experiment with a variety of options that may loosen some of the Core requirements slightly.

Although Tuesday's first two acts were well-received, the third amendment flopped dismally.

The amendment, which drew the most debate of the day, would have replaced one half-course in the history requirement with a half-course in an area of study called "Great Traditions of Thought." Despite the lengthy entreaties of its sponsor--Robert Nozick, professor of Philosophy--the Faculty rejected the amendment by a wide margin.

Meanwhile, students and freshman proctors are not preparing any rave reviews of the production. Students on the Committee on Undergraduate Education seem satisfied with the Core now that the amendments have passed, but a Crimson poll showed last week that 65 per cent of the students who were familiar with the Core opposed the plan.

The Ad Hoc Committee on the Core gathered 2500 student signatures asking the Faculty to delay a vote on the plan to give them more time to participate in the University-wide debate.

About 40 or 60 freshman proctors signed a petition this week saying they do not approve of Rosovsky's show. The proctors said they would rather see a revival of the old General Education program.

When the curtain goes up again on May 2 the Faculty will have before them one last amendment, as well as a motion to abandon the Core in favor of a system of major and minor fields of concentration. Then they should finally get around to the Core--if not at that meeting, then certainly by the Faculty's May 16 get-together.

That's show biz....