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Identifier
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1989-30_Re-Accreditation_Report_1979
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Title
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Accreditation Report of the Evaluation Committee (1974)
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Date
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23 October 1979
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Creator
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Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
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extracted text
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REPORT TO THE HIGHER COMMISSION
OF THE
~r'RTPW"E.S:' ASSOCIATIOX OF SECON:JARY AND HIGHER SCHOOLS
EVALUATION COMMITTEE REPORT
THE EVERGREEN S':'ATE COLLEGE
OLYMPIA
I
WASHINGTON
APRIL 29 to MAY l, l ~74
A c 0n~.denti:ll report prepdred for the Comm1s sion
::m H.gher Schools that represents the
views of the Evaluatwn Comrnttee
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
1.
LIST OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS
2.
INTRODUCTION
3.
ADMINISTRATION
4.
LIBRARY AND COMMUNICATIONS
5.
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
I.
II.
. •••••••. ••••••. ••••.
1
••• •. . •••. . . . •. . . •• •. •••••• •••. • . •
3
•. •. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •. •. . . . . •. . •
4
•. . . . . . •. •. . . . . •. . .
12
. . . . . . . . . .. . . •. . . . . . . . . . . . ••
16
COORDINATED STUDIES
A.
BASIC
. •. . . . •. . . . •. ••. •. ••. •. ••. . . ••. .
B.
ADVANCED
17
. •••. •••. ••••. ••••. . . . •••••
23
. •••. ••. •. . . •. ••••••. •••. . . . . ••
32
CONTRACT STUDIES
A.
GROUP
B.
INDIVIDUAL
. . •. . •. •. ••. . •••••. . •. . •. ••
III.
COOPERATIVE EDUCATION
IV.
MODULAR STUDIES
33
•••••. . •. •. . ••. •. ••••
34
. . . . . . . . . •. •••. ••. ••. . . ••. •
l5
. •. . •. •. . . . •. . •. •. ••. •. . . . •••••
36
6.
STUDENT SERVICES
7.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
. . . •. . . . •••••
41
EVALUATION COMMITTEE
THE EVERGREEN STATE COLLEGE, OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON
April 29 - May 1, 1974
Name
Address
Rev. Paul E. Waldschmidt
Chairman
President, University of Portland
Portland , Oregon 9 7 2 04
Dr. Joseph Axelrod
Professor of Humanities and Comparative
Literature
San Francisco State University
1080 Francisco Street, Apt. 31
San Francisco, California 94109
Dr. Aldon D. Bell
Director, Office of Undergraduate Studies
University of Washington
C-14 Padelford GN-20
Seattle, Washington 98195
Dr. A. Carter Broad
Professor of Biology
Western Washington State College
Bellingham, Washington 9 8225
Dr. Virginia P. Frobes
Professor of Psychology
University of Utah
1180E. 2700S.
Salt Lake City, Utah 84106
Dr. Clarence Gorchels
Director of Library
Oregon College of Education
Monmouth, Oregon 97361
Dr. Robert Jarecke
Director of Instructional Materials
California State University
Sacramento, California 95 819
Dr. Arthur Kreisman
Dean of Arts and Sciences
Southern Oregon College
Ashland, Oregon 9 7520
INTRODUCTION
Dr . Te rr y F. Luns ford
Dr. Arno ld D . Pickar
Dr . James F . Be mis
Aca d e mic Direc tor, Fi eld St ud ies Program
Un i ve r si t y of C alifornia, Berk el ey
2 53 6 C hanning, Building "E"
Berkel ey , California 9 7420
Profe ssor of Physics
Portland Sta te Universi ty
Portl an d, Oregon 97 207
Exe cutive Dir e ctor
C omm i ssion on H igh e r Sc hool s
The Evaluation Committee arrived at Olympia, Washington on Sunday,
Apri l 2 8 , 19 7 4.
Dr. Kenneth G. Goode, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Admin-
istr ati ve Services, University of California, Berkeley, was unable to serve
'
on t he Committee as had been planned, due to a death in his family.
Beca us e The Evergreen State College presents an alternative approach
to educa tion, Presid e nt McCann and Vice President and Provost Kormondy
wer e in vi te d to be present for the first part of the organizational meeting
which wa s held at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday evening.
The presence of these two
in stitu tio nal representatives was of great assistance in helping the Committee
to deve lop its approach to the accreditation review.
On Monday, April 29th at 9:00a.m., the Committee met with officers
a nd staff of the College, after which the team members began their individual
work of reviewing the institution.
Gene ral meetings of the Committee were held at 3:30p.m. on Monday,
April 29th, again on Tuesday, April 30th, and at 9:00a.m. on Wednesday,
May l st.
The general recommendations were voted on and accepted at the
latter meeting. At 1:00 p.m. on May lst, the Committee met with the President,
s taff and some students of the College to present the general recommendations.
The Committee is most grateful to President McCann and The Evergreen
St a te College Community for their gracious hospitality, their openness and
fr a nkness in discussing the various questions raised, and their general cooperatio n in facilitating the work of the Evaluation Committee.
-3-
ADMINISTRATION
Introductory Remarks
The institutional Self-Study prepared by The Evergreen Stage College
wa s a very clear presentation of the institution as it exists and operates.
But
t he C ommittee felt that the Study did not sufficiently critique and evaluate the
i nstitution and its operations.
Further, since each area was prepared by the
particular administrator of that area, some parts of the Study are longer than
necessary.
A better job of editing would have resulted in a more balanced
presentation.
The Report of the Disappearing Task Force of April 24, 1974 did provide
something of the kind of analysis and critique that would have improved the
Self-Study itself.
This report pointed out areas that needed further clarification
a nd identified some of the specific problems that merit consideration and attention.
The Committee recognizes that TESC is a new institution -- that many of
its founders are still directing its growth and development.
Because they set
o ut from the beginning to offer an alternative educational experience, there is
a n understandable tendency for them to assume something of the role of a crusader for the particular kind of institution they have created.
appeared in the Self-Study Report.
-4-
This posture
Institutional Objectives and Purposes
progra ms (which deal with a specific subject matter area) and Cooperative
The statement of general purposes and goals appears to be adequate
Educa tion Programs 1 which basically 1 are internships.
and to describe accurately and fairly what TESC is doing as an educational
The College has developed its own vocabulary to describe what it is
institution.
The College has been particularly effective in commun icating its
doing.
This devise is obviously very effective in keeping the entire college
goals to its members.
co mmu nity attuned to the goals and objectives of the institution.
By mandate from the State legislature
1
The Evergreen State College
A question was raised about the introduction of the so-called "modular"
chose to provide an alternative approach to education -- rather than to become
and "group contract" courses --do such courses mark the beginning of a
"just another State college".
It chose to emphasize interdisciplinary programs
change from the interdisciplinary emphasis of the College? The response
of study with teams of faculty members learning along with students.
It opted
was th at these courses were introduced to offer an opportunity for students
to pres ent o pportunity for highly individualized and personalized education.
to expl ore in depth various areas of interest to them.
To facili tate attainment of these goals
1
In addition
1
no faculty rank
I
and perhaps
it decided to have no traditional aca-
the primary reason for their introduction 1 these courses
demic departments
1
no conventional grading system
1
I
represent an effort on
and no
the part of the College to serve its constituents by making it possible for stu-
structure of fixed programs or courses.
Rather
1
all instructors and Deans are
dents to enroll on a part-time basis.
listed as members of the faculty.
Deans are drawn from the faculty and serve
for limited terms before returning to the faculty.
Deans in a different arrangement each year.
Faculty are grouped under the
Administrative tasks are handled
Fina nces
State support follows the formula common to all other public four year
by the various Deans who are charged with certain responsibilities (or "desks")
institutions in the State of Washington. A funding level of 2200 students has
each year.
been set for next year.
Instead of the conventional grading system 1 each student must write
his own evaluation of what he has accomplished and compare it with a similar
evaluation written up by his teacher.
The coordinated studies programs (inter-
disciplinary programs) are developed each year by faculty teams
with interested students who wish to participate.
I
who then meet
By general policy
is to be repeated with the same faculty group in a consecutive year.
tion to the Coordinated Studies
1
I
Originally the institution had been planned to accommodate up to 10, 000
or more -- and its growth was projected to be in increments of between 500 and
10 00 each year.
Initial staff has been set to service around 4000 students.
no program
When the new limits were imposed 1 there had to be substantial staff reductions
In addi-
(b y about 50 positions).
the College offers group or individual contract
-5-
The institution can exceed this by 5% if necessary.
No faculty cuts were required.
But even with this re-
d uc t i on in staff the institution is still not operating at maximum efficient level.
-6-
Because its Coordinated Studies Program (the major emphasis of the
castly become a somewhat elitist institution with a national public. Yet as
College), has a student-faculty ratio of 20 to 1, the faculty complement of
a State institution its primary role is to serve the needs of the citizens of the
the College is very well utilized.
State.
The Administration is aware of these problems.
The self study indicates that the funds spent for instruction and depart-
The internal business operation of the College appears to be excellent.
mental rese arch represent only 33.5% of the total expenditures for operations.
One prob le m it faces is to translate what Evergreen is doing into report forms
This imbalanc e simply reflects under-enrollment in fiscal terms and points
required by State and other agencies.
out the efficiency of the instructional model.
Faculty
The enrollment problem is complicated by the fact that while applications
The faculty generally is made up of very highly qualified individuals who
from in-state students decline, those from out-of-state applicants increase.
were especially selected for their commitment to an interdisciplinary approach
Acting on at least implied legislative intent, the out-of-state enrollment has
to learni ng.
been limited to 25% of the total enrollment.
For 1974-75, at the time of the
As indicated above, the College has elected to operate without faculty
vis it, this quota had been filled and a waiting list developed.
On the other
rank
1
te nure and the traditional departmental structure.
All faculty members
hand, indications were that in-state enrollment may not be sufficient to bring
with the same background and experience are on the same salary scale.
the institution up to the 2200 limit.
The
It would appear that people from outside
objective of this policy was to foster the interdisciplinary approach to learning
the State of Washington are more appreciative of the opportunities offered at
by encouraging cooperation through removal of the departmental barriers and
The Evergreen State College than are residents of the State.
Until this is
the competition for salary and promotion.
remedied, perhaps consideration could be given to letting TESC enroll more
After the probationary period, contracts are given for a three-year period,
out-of-state students.
Certainly this would be a more reasonable alternative
subJect to review and reappointment.
The Sabbatical leave policy is a very
to cutting back on faculty and programs.
generous one for those who are granted it; the numbers of those who can receive
At the same time, although no definite study has yet been made, it would
it however
1
are quite limited.
appear that the out-of-state students drawn to TESC tend to be highly qualified,
There appears to have been no problems to date with respect to academic
motivated and from the middle and upper-middle class families.
If the institu-
freedom or dismissal without cause.
tion were to open its doors to more and more of these students, it could rather
A plan has been developed by the faculty to be followed in the event it
should ever become necessary to reduce the numbers of faculty.
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-8-
The plan provides
that a special task force composed of faculty members will be elected by the
appears to have some of the characteristics of a standing committee represent-
faculty.
wg a segment of the College.
This Committee will review all faculty portfolios and divide the faculty
1nto two categories.
The Committee then in consultation with the Deans will
The rotating deanships present something of a problem that is recognized
decide which faculty in the "second" or lower category are to be eliminated.
by the administration.
Criteria for classification is still being developed.
demarcation between faculty and administration.
If the College is to retain its special characteristics, it would appear
The procedure was designed to break down the usual
recogmzed that there is need for continuity and a certain experience and exper-
essential that it continue its policy of carefully selecting faculty who are gen-
tise for smooth administration.
erally sympathetic and committed to the institution's special purposes and
merit the continued attention of the College.
objectives.
At the same time
I
1
This is an area of potential problems that will
as faculty positions become available, attention
should be given to maintaining an adequate distribution of faculty from diverse
academ ic areas
At the same time, it is
Physical Plant
The physical plant is outstanding. All buildings have been constructed
so that teams involved in Coordinated Studies programs will
be in fact, truly interdisciplinary in their background and expertise; and instructors will be available in the specific subject matter areas for individual
within the last four years according to a well developed master plan.
Furnish-
ings and eqUlpment are superior. At the last session of the Washington legislature
1
approval was granted for a $6. 8 million Communications Laboratory
and group contracts and modular studies programs.
building.
Administration
date up to at least 4000 students.
The administration is able, dedicated and very competent.
There appears
to be adequate machinery for communication between all members of the College
community.
This will complete the essential facilities and provide space to accommo-
The College operates by design through a "consensus" procedure - -
It is anticipated that this latest facility will
become operatlve in January 1977.
As a wholly new institution
of the initial capital investment.
I
equipment was able to be purchased as part
There is some concern about the ability of
so meetings between administrators and their departments are frequent. Author-
the college to maintain and up-date the equipment in the future from annual
ity is decentralized to a very large extent.
operating and capital appropriations.
There are few standing committees; rather
1
extensive use is made of "Dis-
appearing Task Forces '' (ad hoc committees) which dissolve when their work is
finished.
Recently however, there was established a Faculty Forum, which
Affirmative Action Program
The College has developed and is in the process of implementing a well
developed policy and program for affirmative action in providing equal employ-
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LIBRARY AND COMMUNICATIONS
ment opportunity to all citizens.
A new director of the program had been on the i ob for about 6 weeks at
the time of the visit.
Although the document was largely developed prior to
the director's arrival, she considers lt to be a very satisfactory and workable
statement.
It is hoped that the program can be implemented through close
work with the Deans, Provost and the personnel director.
In addition, plans
Aptly characterized as the "Library Group" to indicate the extensive
breadth of educational holdings, this facility is a superior asset to the College.
In brief, the Library Group, is a well-integrated treasure trove of conventional library materials and tapes, films, slides and other audio and graphic
are underway for various workshops to be held for the members of the Evergreen
creations.
Community to familiarize them with the program and sensitize them to the re-
modern equipment and furnishings and rich in resources, the quarters and ser-
sponsibilities for its implementation.
vices are widely appreciated by students and faculty.
A Non-White Coalition has been formed by students with faculty and staff
involvement representing the Black, Asian American, Chicano and Native American cultures and traditions.
This group has an executive secretary who reports
Brave in concept, spacious, conspicuously well-supplied with
At the same time, the personnel who operate the Library Group have had
nothing better than bittersweet experiences in their work.
The Administration, and the Library Group staff, are to be highly commended
directly to the President. While this direct access to the President is laudable,
for the almost incredible accomplishments -- philosophically, academically,
at the same time it would appear that a more direct tie to the existing operational
physically and financially that have been achieved in such a short period of
structure of the College would be very desirable, and should be explored·
time, especially under conditions made difficult by limited staff.
On every hand, there is evidence of total commitment to the Evergreen goal.
There is evidence of dedicated professional conduct and performance.
There is
little or no evidence of picayune complaining that might well be expected in such
demanding circumstances.
The facilities are efficiently utilized.
Media equipment is adequate for
the present needs and program concepts and is used at nearly maximum availability.
Cooperative working arrangements with the Washington State Library, utilizing personnel, materials, equipment, facilities and expertise is an outstanding
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feature of the Evergreen concept for providing services to students and faculty.
sources are obvious even to the most superficial examiner.
This arrangement eliminates duplication of services at a distinct saving to the
It is appropriate, however, to report on a closer sampling of the materials
State.
available to students and faculty.
There are no apparent weaknesses in holdings
of books, periodicals, documents, maps, art prints 1 slides 1 tapes
Observations
There are some areas of the total Library Group Program which are currently
causing concern, and to which attention should be directed.
Many of these
1
etc. All of
the substantial bibliographical tools, including indexes and abstract services
are here.
An adequate collection of basic reference books is readily available
problems have already been identified by DTF' s, but they warrant mention in
to students and faculty.
this report:
selection process is working well despite a need for additional lead time.
In addition, there is ample evidence that the materials
l.
Lack of adequate staff to complete tasks and thus function efficiently.
e xample , the library has the "Pollution Control Guide
2.
Lack of faculty status and recognition of the professional Library staff.
by Commerce Clearing House.
3.
Lack of communication with faculty and administration concerning curri cular and program needs.
Bureau of Na tiona! Affairs is here.
4.
Need for improved communication between Library Staff and central
administration. There could be more empathy on both sides and more
willingness to work within restraints. The first session, built around
the Feb. 11, 1974 memorandum, seems to have been an admirable start
toward improved communications; it may well be the avenue to success ful solution of many of the problems.
1
"
For
a cumulative index issued
Similarly, the "Environmental Reporter" of the
Selectors have demonstrated good judgment in taking advantage of the avail-
5.
The tendency of the Library staff to attempt to do too many things for
students and faculty; -- some of the services provided could be identified as "luxury" services at the present stage of the College's develop ment. When faculty and student demands continue to increase steadily
and staff remains the same or decreases, it seems obvious that some
services must be curtailed.
ability of reference works on film or tapes when these are obviously advantageous
over book-format materials.
For example (and again showing response to definite
curricular needs), the library has the "Envirofiche Index" and the microfiche files
of the publications indexed.
The Library does appear to be somewhat weak in obtaining and processing
prompt ly outstanding new books.
"Notable Books of 19 73
I"
For example
I
in checking the published list of
it was revealed that the library had obtained fewer than
The Self-Study chapter on the Library GroLlP is an outstanding example of
half of the titles, and a number of these were not yet available to readers because
a comprehensive report laced with cogent details, significant statistics and know !
of slow processing.
edgeable commentary.
No good purpose would be served here in testing the basic
In the early years of the existence of the Library Group within the infant
statements in the Self-Study against observations by the members of the accrediCollege, much emphasis has been placed on the acquisition of educational retation team, for the excellent physical facilities and extensive educational resources -- properly so.
Yet the time is approaching when better processing must
be accomplished to assure convenient access to these materials.
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Recommendations
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
1.
DTF recommendations (Library) should be implemented as quickly
as possible.
2.
Steps should be taken to grant faculty status to Library staff members
who are qualified.
3.
4.
In view of current staff and budget limitations, Library staff should reassess objectives in terms of short-range and long-range completion
possibilities, and establish immediate priorities. Suggest PERT approa c
Staff should suggest, after re-assessment above, an orderly and feasible short-term curtailment of certain activities, in order to reach urgent
objectives.
a)
Perhaps postpone slide duplication.
b)
Perhaps, after consultation with appropriate faculty and
student representatives 1 consider possibility of closing
off services one day per week or one week per month (or
whatever available arrangement) in order to eliminate backlog.
1
c)
5.
6.
Consider re-deployment of available staff, during these
"closed" periods, to urgent tasks which have finite time
lines.
All of above require hard-line management approach, and utilization of
management skills. New Dean should be aware of need for this kind of
approach.
Professional Library and Media staff be actively and continuously involved in curriculum planning, on both short and long-term curriculum
objectives.
Instead of discipline-oriented departments and traditional majors, The
Evergree n State College, offers its educational opportunity in the following ways:
1.
Coordinated Studies
A.
B.
II.
(Interdisciplinary programs of study}
Basic
Advanced
Contract Studies
A.
B.
Group Contracts
Individual Contracts
III.
Cooperative Education
IV.
Modular Studies
(a standard, subject matter course)
In evaluating the various kinds of studies available at TESC
I
had of necessity to select from the various programs offered, since time did not
permit a review of every program.
Further
1
because of the nature of the study
mode s, the evaluations dealt with units which on traditional campuses would be
considered individual classes
1
sing led out for consideration.
and normally in an evaluation report would not be
In taking this approach, it was not the intention
of the Committee to compare one "class" with another, but rather to review the
mode itself and to evaluate the opportunity it provided for learning.
The Committee reviewed m some detail the following:
I.
Coordinated Studies:
A.
Basic:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
-15-
the Committee
Matter of Survival
Nature of Society
Individual in Contemporary Society
Democracy and Tyranny
Native American Studies
Portals
-1 6-
B.
Advanced:
1.
2.
3.
II.
The facilities that support this program probably are adequate to the
The Ecology of Pollution
Matter and Motion
Freud and Jung: An Approach to the Humanities
Form and Function: (a basic coordinated study)
The third group of students was using a College organic farm
The staff with whom we were able to visit is well-trained and adequate
GroupContracts:
to the program objectives.
1. Molecular Biology
2. The Evergreen Environment
3. Architecture of Matter
Cooperative Education
IV.
Modular Studies
The quality of the work done
was judged to be at least on a par with comparable scientific work at other higher
institutions.
Microbiology
III.
The few students available to us were involved in
routine laboratory procedure in systematic botany.
Individual Contracts:
1.
These field trips sound
and laboratory facilities.
Introduction
B.
One group of students is in Mexico;
another was on a field trip to the Olympic Peninsula.
most promising.
Contract Studies:
A.
obJectives as they now are understood.
This program could not be adequately evaluated through no fault of the
Evergreen faculty or students.
On the basis of our limited visit, we feel the
program may have suffered from changes made after the publication of the cataA.
BASIC
1.
Matter of Survival:
logue supplement.
A program that underwent several changes between its
conception and its actual beginning in the Fall of 1973.
to be in residence during our time in Olympia.
The program as it developed included less of science and more of cultural
studies than originally planned or than announced in the 19 73-74 catalogue suppleThere were faculty changes and a change in level of students to whom the
program was addressed.
active advisement program.
Unfortunately for a com-
mittee visit, only one of the faculty involved and few of the students were able
ment.
This problem might have been compensated for by a more
It is, therefore, probably not surprising that there has
been significant attrition from this program during the year (around 35 per cent).
2.
Nature and Society
Nature and Society is an example of Coordinated Studies at the Basic level.
It represents a serious, cooperative effort by natural and social scientists to
combine substantive study for beginning students in their respective areas with
a shared consideration of the interplay between science and social processes.
The Program includes common readings and lectures, small seminars, and special
modules in disciplinary fields.
In our judgment, the faculty to whom we talked seemed intellectually competent and imaginative, thoughtful about teaching processes, and informed about
-17-
-18-
students' individual learning.
They are active in creating and revising new
the Basic level.
teaching materials in the Program area.
On brief exposure, however, the Program appears to have the
Several faculty members, we learned,
virtues of rich internal diversity and opportunities for students to work with
had encouraged students to collect and edit an anthology of readings in the
individual faculty members in a variety of special-interest seminars and comProgram subject, which has attracted the interest of a commercial book-pubmunity projects.
Students with whom we talked seemed actively interested in
lisher.
their work
1
confident of faculty competence and assistance
I
and able to offer
Student morale in the Program seemed high, and there appears to be a
constructive criticisms of their Program and College experience.
large amount of group-generated motivation to keep up with assignments.
In one semi-
The
nar
I
students dealt thoughtfully with ideas
1
values, and feelings in rather
Program is considered by students and faculty with whom we talked to be among
subtle combinations
the sound and successful Basic offerings of the current year.
I
and seemed able to connect abstract concepts with their
Unfortunately, at
personal lives rather well.
Student-faculty relations seemed warm and relaxed
I
the time of this visitation, when teaching in the Program is largely split up into
but centered on stud2nts' education.
Student interest and initiative in the Pro-
more specialized learning modules and seminars, it was difficult to assess in
gram's Energy Crisis project also seemed high, and the Project's achievement
detail the success with which disparate disciplines are being integrated.
In
of group cooperation in research on a major community problem seems to have
general, however, our judgment of the study materials, the student self-evaluabeen remarkable.
However, our brief review suggests that the internal coherence
tions, and the faculty competences in the Program support the judgment of its
of this broad and diverse Program may be near the minimum that a Coordinated
worth.
One problem to be avoided in the future, if possible, was the need to
Studies group might wish to adopt, and students may not have received a great
have a faculty member present a module in a scientific area outside his area of
deal of help in interrelating the different themes emphasized by the Program's
professional training.
Although teachers in the Program seemed to function ade-
cooperating faculty members.
quately in subjects outside their own areas, especially in considering interdisciplinary questions, it would seem desirable if, on occasion, there could be
participation by faculty with pertinent expertise not represented on the team.
4.
Democracy and Tyranny
An effective, impressive program based on the classic style of important,
vital or "great" books, and reinforced by the elaborate evaluative processes
3.
Individual in Contemporary Society
characteristic of TESC.
The faculty participants have focused study on the contem-
Committee members had very little chance to observe classes or talk with
poraneity of Ancient Greece (especially Athens) and the United States, climaxing
faculty and student in this Program, which is a Coordinated Studies effort at the
-19-
in careful thought about Plato's Republic. The study carries all participants from
-20-
the primitive origins of classical Greece through political development,
attracted to TESC because of the possibilities of an autonomous program which
artistic expression, expansion overseas, and consideration for such conallows Native Americans in the academic community to co-exist with white on
cepts as "justice." The students resoundingly involve themselves, and
equal terms.
the faculty res pond.
Some fear a loss of momentum in the program if it is open to whites.
They are all intellectual colleagues, rigorously anaThe coordinator of Native American Studies maintains in her office a small
lyzing concepts but also savoring the beauty and aptness of ideas.
I
The
open collection of books on Native Americans, sociology, social work and
faculty have created a careful balance of seminars, lectures and tutorials.
c ommunity development.
Also, runs of tribal newspapers are on a table and
The study has apparently bred a healthy respect for past, present and future
~asily
accessible.
for the continuity of human values.
The program now seems to have an unusually high proportion of older
"Democracy and Tyranny" seem to be a program which conforms to
women students, supports a small proportion of its students on campus, and exthe College s ideal for Coordinated Studies: with adequate detail the faculty
1
pects to turn even more to cooperative studies (internships).
It is also encour-
proposed it in the spring of 1973; students understood its components and
aging its students to "challenge" courses for credit, even to the point of challengmade the choice early; the program suffered no major short-circuit during
ing the bulk of units required for a degree.
The College will obviously have to
the academic year; the students experienced a significant general education
study the intellectual and academic issues carefully, and respond with full
in a style which is classic but unusual, though not unique, in U.S. higher
knowledge of the precedents which would be established.
education today.
Of all ethnic studies possibilities, Native American Studies followed by
1
Coordinated Studies are probably the strongest components of TESC s
Black Studies seem most feasible for TESC because of the proximity of the Olympic
educational program; "Democracy and Tyranny" is one of the more commendPeninsula tribes and possible interest among Tacoma blacks.
Strong bases for
able of the Coordinated Studies.
Chicano or Asian-American Studies seem unlikely; an occasional Coordinated
5.
Studies program in Jewish Studies would be likely, as suggested by two students.
Native American Studies
The program has developed heavily on experiential studies away from
the campus.
Exclusively Native American now in faculty and students, the
The Native American Studies program raises some crucial issues for TESC:
how autonomous may Coordinated Studies be?
Is the College a catalyst or a
continuing program in 1974-75 will be open to white students and have a
s tructural convenience? Are there commonly shared and mutually respected in-
new director.
te llectual concepts? And concepts of learning? Will white and minority students
The seventy-plus students have been
genuinely learn from one another, or will each group be physically, emotionally
and intellectually separate?
-21-
6.
The budget of this program has not been adequate to provide the reagents
Portals
It is the Committee's opinion that the PORTALS program epitomizes the
a nd other supplies needed to do all the analytical work the group hopes to do.
Evergreen "climate": recognition of a need, and a willingness to try to meet that
External assistance in the form of grants has been sought but not yet found.
need.
The program on the scale presently attempted may be a more ambitious undertak-
In the words of one of the PORTALS members, " . . . everyone experiences
'Evergreen Shock'. . . we're the people and the program doing something to
t o offer this large a research effort should be considered in this light.
II
help
wg than is po ssible without such aid from research funds, and future attempts
There 1s evidence on the part of faculty and students that PORTALS means
The s u pporting physical facilities and equipment for natural science progr a ms have been described elsewhere as superb.
commitment
caring
doing
helping
experiencing
learning
Worthy of mention in connec-
t io n with this program are gas chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance,
a t o mic absorption spectroscopy, lN spectroscopy (all with in-lab computer outpu t), and more conventional equipment.
It is obvious that meaningful and worthwhile learning experiences are
The instructional staff consists of two Ph.D. scientists (Biologist and
taking place, for both faculty and staff.
This program gained adherents as the
C hemist) with combined experience of 19 years.
semester progressed.
They are superbly trained and
Discussion with this group was open, candid, invigorating ,
d edicated.
and friendly.
One left with the impression that there was a group whose percepResearch --The program includes research in two areas: Tussock moth
tions of problems and ways to cope with them -- was keen, insightful, incisive,
infestations in areas of eastern Washington (and related regulatory measures) and
and productive.
And perhaps, as with other things at Evergreen, most enthuenv ironmental quality in Puget Sound.
siastic.
be come in v ol ved in the "wide spectrum of disciplines" mentioned in the course
des cription in the catalogue supplement.
B.
ADVANCED
1.
The Ecology of Pollution: an advanced coordinated study program that is
actually as close to being a group contract (e.g. , essentially a research-oriented
learning experience) as a coordinated study.
The program is essentially as des-
cribed in the 1973-74 catalogue supplement.
It is nearing the end of the first
year of a two-year term.
Through these programs the students have
the Tu ssock moth study.
One paper has already come out of
The second year of the program will be devoted to indi-
v id ual research projects by the students.
Students: a sample of the 3 5 students showed them to be completely invo lved in the program and fully conversant with all aspects of the work.
Here as
el sewhere at Evergreen, we were impressed by the fact that students had reached
-24-
The physical facilities and equipment supporting th'lS program are, frankly,
a level of proficiency that is at least on a par with graduates of other institutions.
This seems to have been accomplished without any loss of breadth.
The science students are articulate and unusually aware of what is happening
superb.
well as any other program having need of them
old.
in other programs on campus.
The laboratory building, the facilities of which are available to this as
,
·
lS
on 1Y slightly more than a year
It is very well conceived, of excellent design (combining efficient operation
·
·
with aesthetically pleasant surroundings) , well b u1'lt , an db eautlfully
mamtained.
2.
Matter and Motion
The equipment is of the best research quality, there is plenty of it, it is well
The Cooperative Study entitled Matter and Motion afforded an opportunity
maintained and maximally available to students who are ass 1· sted in its use by a
to view science education at the intermediate level.
The level of work appears
to range from what, in a conven Uonal college, would be appropriate for sophomore
and junior level students.
In the Evergreen setting this range of level seems
perfectly acceptable; class faculty guidance, flexibility in choice of special
fine, self-instruction center located within the laboratory bui'ld'mg.
While it by
no means exhausts the list of available equipment, items worthy of mention include
spectrophotometers (including UV) , gas chromatographs , nuc 1ear magnetic
· resonance equipment, in-lab computer systems, a scanning electron microscope, and
options, and availability of special learning resources would make it appear that
other items.
The principal shortages seem to be in small, inexpensive things such
students can readily make a transition to more advanced science studies at the
as individual heating mantles -- but even here the lab is adequately furnished.
College.
For those students who must transfer schools some careful thought must
A lab addition which is due to be completed in the fall 1975 will only add to
be given to spelling out the equivalent levels of attainment.
The program has
support facilities already among the best in the nation.
retained the character and concept described in the 1973-74 catalogue supplement
Library resources -- see general section.
although two staff members (a physical chemist and a biologist) have been added
The instructional staff includes a mathematician
since the program was originally outlined.
I
a physical chemist, a
The additions have enriched rather
biochemist, a physicist and a biologist.
than altered the stated objectives.
Each holds the Ph.D. degree, and the
minimum academic experience of any member of the group is nine years.
The
This program has an operating budget that is considered adequate to genercompetence and dedication of the group is judged to be excellent.
ous by the staff.
The budget was prepared by the program coordinator and approve
A sample of the students in the Matter and Motion program indicates that
by the appropriate Dean (who happens also to be a member of the staff of this
group).
they are articulate, highly motivated and in terms of knowledge -- at least on a
Expenditures are controlled by the program coordinator who is assisted
par with the best undergraduates in physical science programs in other colleges
in this regard by competent staff help in the office of the Dean.
The fiscal pro-
cedures are adequate and efficient.
-26-
-25-
in the region.
Student morale and enthusiasm is impressive.
extends to the interdisciplinary nature of the program.
This attitude
with considerable depth, and great provis1on for 1'nd'lVl' d ua 1 interests and differ-
Students seem aware
ences on the part of the students.
and convinced of the interdependence of the several traditional scientific disciplines.
grams in such a way that students a re cons t an tl~ Y eva 1uating their own efforts
At the same time there appears to be no sense of ambiguity about
the special concerns and methodologies of the special disciplines.
Continuous evaluation is built into the proI
as well as those of the faculty; while faculty are engaged in not on 1Y eva 1uatmg
.
Although
student efforts, but their own as well.
The evaluations of students are each
a problem was encountered in this program in terms of heavy attrition from the
supported by a portfolio containing student work, so that the student's progress
l st quarter, the flexibility inherent in the Evergreen system in providing indivi-
and achievement can be traced in terms of concrete evidence.
dual options apparently has prevented any large scale damage being done to any
student's educational career.
However, it may be wise to minimize perturba-
tions of this sort, through careful advising and screening.
The instructional staff of the programs cannot be too highly praised.
are obviously carefully selected individuals.
These
Their interest, concern, and
enthusiasm for their teaching and their students was apparent.
The instructional
staff with whom we had contact had obviously mastered the difficult art of meld3.
Freud and Jung: and Form and Function:
ing their original disciplinary expertise into an overriding and genuinely inter-
An examination was made of the Coordinated Studies programs entitled
11
Freud and Jung: An Approach to the Humanities 11 and
11
Form and Function: A Crea-
tive Approach to the Investigation of Problems Common to Science and Art."
both cases the titles were found to be descriptively exact.
In
The objectives of
dis ciplinary approach to the topics under consideration.
The relations between
faculty and students struck the evaluators as delightful: natural 1 open 1 honest.
The students in these programs were deeply involved in their work, and very
mu ch involved in their own learning, in a way which is really rather rare in more
each program were clearly stated, and were relevant to the overall statement of
traditional institutions.
objectives of the institution.
Indeed, it appeared to the evaluators that it would be
The evaluators concluded that there was indeed
more correct to characterize them as
II
junior colleagues" of the faculty, deeply
evidence that the objectives were being achieved, as seen in student work.
Financial support of the programs appears to be quite adequate, and the
physical facilities leave nothing to be desired.
The library and media support
involved in the planning and the outcomes, as well as in the actual studies themselves.
All in all, we conclude that these are sound and viable academic programs.
for the programs is also quite adequate.
The educational programs themselves are highly imaginative and creative.
These are richly conceived interdisciplinary programs, wide-ranging, flexible,
-27-
-28-
COOPERATIVE EDUCATION INTERNSHIPS
INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTED STUDIES
The Individual Contracted Studies program allows students, under guidance, to pursue their own academic concerns and interests in such ways as to
acquire the desired knowledge and skills through modes of learning which are
most congenial to the individual, and which are designed to achieve the individual's own academic and career goals.
It is a form of essentially independent
study, checked, on the one hand, by expert faculty supervision -- so that
students are not allowed to wander off into the inane blue -- and buttressed,
on the other hand, by a wide and rich variety of institutional resources: compu-
ards are high.
Stand-
Work is substantive, and achievement is attested to by the
student portfolios bearing examples of the fruits of the student's labors, as well
as by student self-evaluations and faculty evaluations.
The student self-evalua -
tions reveal a high degree of both candor and conscientiousness, which we felt
to be unusual.
Indeed, the students tended to be more exacting of themselves
than were the faculty.
This is not to be taken as an implication that faculty
standards are inadequate -- they certainly are not.
sound, fair, and realistic. Also mature, of course.
The faculty standards are
It is, apparently, simply
a matter of student standards tending to be unrealistically high, so that they expe
more of themselves than is possible.
thing.
we were, nevertheless, pleased to discover that it was possible for students to
"invent" and develop their own internship programs in ways which the institution
had not anticipated, but was quick to support.
Illustrative is the example of a
student interested in museum work who took the initiative of making contact
with a local museum, found a willingness to cooperate on the part of museum
officials, and then arranged with college officials for the implementation necessary to a program of study.
The result will be -- arrangements have already been
made -- a new and burgeoning career in a relatively little-known field for a student
ters, laboratories, videotape, etc., which are easily available.
Contracts reviewed give evidence of careful planning and design.
Without looking at the institution's entire spectrum of regular internships,
This is not, in itself, necessarily a bad
But there are a significant number of students on the campus who carry a,
perhaps, unnecessary burden of guilt feelings as a result of their own imagined
whose interests and aptitudes would probably have been rather poorly served in
the average traditional type of institution.
Most admirable.
We were also privileged to sit in on some faculty-student conferences dealmg with the experiences of student interns and were most impressed by the meticulous thoroughness with which the student experiences were examined and analyzed.
The students had kept detailed diaries of their experiences -- in these cases as
student teachers in the public schools.
The student read his/her account of each
individual event to the faculty member and then underwent a type of socratic
questioning as to why the pupils had done this or that, why the student had reacted in one way or another, what underlying meanings or alternatives there were
in each instance, etc.
The end result was that the student was led to clarifying
insights about the events and experiences in such a way as to enhance both personal and professional growth.
It was done beautifully and naturally, and we
cannot commend too highly the value of this type of personal approach.
inadequacies.
-29-
-3 0-
II.
II. (A)
Contr a ct Studies
l.
Introduction
TESC is only on the thresh-hold of its educational program beyond Coordinated Studies.
Group Contracts
Group Contracts
1
for instance
1
may be small-scale coordinated
Molecular Biology: An advanced group contract that combines aspects
of advanced courses in biochemistry and research in molecular biology.
dents, some of whom entered the program with relatively little background in
(interdisci plinary) studies supervised by a single faculty or 1 in one instance
chemistry
observed
We detected some variation in present levels of competence.
I
by two.
Likewise
I
Group Contracts may be intense
I
advanced dis-
ciplinary-based study resembling upper division or even graduate study in a uni-
have advanced through the year to the point of individual projects.
The upper level was
The staff is superbly competent and includes, in addition to one faculty
Individual Contracts (essentially tutorial arrangements between
I
1
easily on a par with graduate students of our acquaintance.
versity department.
Likewise
The stu-
member
1
her two, employed research assistants.
The course meets in a laboratory
a single faculty member and a student) may be interdisciplinary or disciplinary.
that houses an NIH research grant and benefits from this association.
Similar Individual Contracts in a given quarter may in fact develop into a seminar
dents are learning science as an inquiry into real problems of significance.
differing hardly at all from the Group Contract.
equipment used in this program includes, in addition to that normal to biochemical
Rightfully
1
TESC is flexible about Contract Studies.
They may be closely
associated with Coordinated Studies 1 or may be far more advanced.
definition and administrative delineation would be pointless
1
A sharp
and dispel the in-
I
the College has not yet achieved a balance of Coordinated Studies
(largely general education of the very best sort) on the one hand
study on the other.
1
and advanced
Some students and faculty voiced the need for more curricular
planning to support "advanced" study, which presumably would be based on Contract Studies.
Careful thought and planning are important for advanced studies
because students must have some assurance what they will find available as junio
1
The
equipped for UV absorption and with direct read
out to an in-lab computer, one of two such instruments available in the United
States.
2.
tellectual and academic strength of the College.
However
laboratories, an ultra-centrifuge
The stu-
The Evergreen Environment: Students in this program are involved in
a year-long ecological study of their local environment.
In the laboratory they
were working on problems on a level judged to be undergraduate upper-division,
but with the exception noted everywhere at Evergreen that these students were working independently.
3.
In this program as elsewhere
1
individual motivation was high.
Architecture of Matter
The cluster of contracts entitled "Architecture of Matter" was examined
and seniors, and because the expansion of advanced studies must not do anything
as an example of advanced work in the physical sciences.
to weaken Coordinated Studies, one of the finest and most effective educational
was the flexibility of scheduling which permits easy coordination between classroom
patterns in the nation.
-31-
-32-
Particularly impressive
and laboratory work.
In addition, because of the large blocks of time committed
We noted some feeling on the part of faculty members that contracts
by both students and faculty to the program, the barriers between the subdivi-
are inadequately funded, although the Dean has a budget for contract studies.
sions in physics seem to be readily surmounted.
The laboratory equipment which is available is superb, well maintained, and adequately housed.
The high caliber of the equipment, while of
inestimable value in making possible a large number of important laboratory experiences, also carried with it a certain number of dangers and limitations which
the Committee feels it is wise to keep in mind.
Lack of experience with simpler
It is part of the Evergreen program that all equipment is available to whatever
program in which it is needed, thus, the equipment that supports individual contracts is excellent.
III.
Cooperative Education
Student internships make a major contribution to the academic programs at
and more expendable types of equipment might encourage a "black box" attitude
Evergreen.
toward equipment and suppress development of any talent for "string and sealing-
acceptance by faculty members as one integral, worthwhile part of students' edu-
wax'' approaches to experiment which still play an important role in scientific
cation.
work.
organized.
Moreover valuable equipment is often too delicate to be repaired
The great strength of "cooperative education" at the College is its
The College's Office of Cooperative Education seems active and wellIt attempts to work closely with faculty in giving students combined
academic and practical experiences, which serve both intellectual and vocational
or adjusted by students and faculty, which constrains, to some degree, the instru -
purposes.
mentation experience which can be an important component of science education.
They include both public and private agencies, full-time and part-time internships,
On this score, however, the College is to be commended for its foresight in hir-
paid and unpaid work, group and individual arrangements, and nj:larby and distant
ing a full-time technician to work with equipment.
locations, which are adaptable to the varying needs of students and the recommen-
(B)
1.
dations of their faculty sponsors.
Individual Contracts
Microbiology: A small sample of students working on individual
contracts in Microbiology indica ted diverse levels of competence. An encouraging aspect of this was the obvious assistance the more advanced student was
giving to the less experienced.
There is substantial variety and flexibility in the internships offered:
Here as elsewhere at Evergreen, students acceptec
not only responsibility for their own learning but for helping others.
OCE' s small staff seems knowledgeable and
experienced in working with agencies accepting student interns, and determined
to continue building communication between students' field supervisors and the
campus community.
Commendable efforts of this kind already are made through
on-campus workshops each year at which field supervisors learn more about the
College and make suggestions for improving the Cooperative Education program.
-34-33-
In the coming years, it is planned to encourage increased direct contact
STUDENT SERVICES
between faculty members and field supervisors in the negotiation of students
internship arrangements.
1
The Dean of Student Services was a member of the original planning group
Because of the time-pressures on faculty and on OCE
staff, and the high demand for student internships, a major challenge to the
for Evergreen College.
College will be to maintain enough contact with students and employers in the
part of the Evergreen experiment shares with the academic the creativity, imagi-
field to assure that internships remain tangibly related to the other parts of
nation, and sense of always "becoming" that has resulted in the uniqueness of
students educational experience.
the College.
I
The organization and personnel that has developed as a
The Committee must commend all those who have contributed to
the very excellent program that exists.
IV.
Modular Studies
The five-year plan for Student Services which has just been drafted and
TESC has added Modular Studies only in 1973-74. A Modular Study course
is now being widely circulated for reactions, speaks to all phases of services
is recognizable to anyone as a predictable academic unit, the relatively standard
and is sensitive to improvements needed, unmet challenges which were not prequarter course.
The College makes use of Modular Study to fill in essentials for
dicted and proposes significant means by which its human potentials may be
a specific group of students, and to make it possible for townspeople to enroll
more effective.
The Committee strongly supports the basic proposals in the
in a manageable academic unit.
five-year plan.
For the fundamental educational goals of the College, the Modular Study
The development of a large and strong student staff in Student Services is
courses may " lubricate" the curriculum for some students.
The courses can do
unusual and exciting in its implications for not only more sensitive service and
for certain students what coordinated, contract and Cooperative Studies cannot
planning but also for individual learning.
do.
Paraprofessionals in Counseling, Fin-
Yet, the faculty and College have no obligation to continue a modular course
ancial Aid and Placement, technicians in Gynecology, programmers in recreation,
beyond its immediate utility. ,
aids in security work and fire control, administrative assistants and others are
The utility of such a conventional, but self-destructive, device is obvious
1
being trained either by volunteering as full paid staff or through group and indibut modular courses could undermine Coordinated and Contract Studies if faculty
vidual contracts.
fall into a habit of "offering" a modular course once a year
1
or what-have-you.
They perform a major part of the work to be done and are a
It
constant resource for directing professional energies directly to student needs
seems important for administrators to keep an eye on faculty energies going into
and interests.
modular courses, and for all concerned to have a well-defined purpose and an
All student services -- from Campus Security to Recreation and Campus Actiimmediate, waiting clientele among the students.
vities are more intimately related to the academic world of the college than is
usually the case.
-35-
-3 6-
3.
Late recruitment of non-white students results in poor if
any orientation to the academic system. It also results in
their taking "left over" unskilled jobs in work-study. (This
reinforces their self image of being inferior . . . etc.
4.
They experience the college as having little commitment to
preparing them for success even though they have encouraged
their enrollment knowing their lack of preparation compared
to that of the white student they select.
5.
The lack of significant non-white faculty and administrative
staff is not only a handicap to them personally but also deprives the college of a critical enrichment.
Both student and professional staff are related as learners and teachers, the
faculty is provided workshop opportunities in small group processes when
desired.
Most services are available to staff and faculty as well as students.
Representation on DTFs frequent.
Much remains to be done however, and there
are plans for growth in this area.
The administrative assignment of some student services may need to
be reviewed.
Recreation and Student Activities, Housing, Campus Security
There are persons in Student Services who are aware of and responsive to
particularly appear to feel artificially separated from the leadership and main
these students.
stream of the area identified as Student Services.
Particular appreciation was expressed for the Financial Aids office.
Both they and Student Service s
The Dean of Students and the Director of Housing have tried to initiate some action
make conscious efforts to relate and consult one another but do not have ready
on the problems.
access daily to spontaneous, mutual stimulation.
Social Space -- It is generally agreed by the students interviewed that the
The Committee has experienced its review of Student Services and students
educational experience at Evergreen was demanding and deeply involving.
at Evergreen as a refreshing, exciting learning.
social needs were being met largely through academics.
make.
Their
It has few if any criticisms to
For those who live on
The following observations are made in the hope they lend support to
campus and are without transportation, how to relax becomes a problem.
A sugges-
plans and intentions already in existence or may help in setting priorities for acti on
tion was made that some social space in the residence halls would reduce loneliThe most urgent needs expressed by a group of students, were those of the
ness and provide some short time, immediate relaxation.
Non-White Students Coalition.
What follows is an analysis of the opinions exRegistrar -- The registrar is concerned with the need for institutional research
pressed by those members of the Coalition who participated in the discussion
particularly with the kind of data that will assist in identifying students' academic
with the Committee:
patterns and in planning for faculty assignments and redistribution of teaching
l.
Selected recruitment of white, middle-class, bright, intellectually motivated and prepared students. Random recruitment
of non-white minorities without regard to the above requirement s.
Consequently they find themselves inadequate, out-of-place,
potential failures, hurt, and angry-- without hope of real succ es.
energies as student patterns shift.
He is also concerned about the lack of criteria
as to the content of the student evaluations.
His recommendation that a DTF con-
sider this problem is supported by the Committee.
2.
Few if any academic resources for building relevant diverse
cultural content in their academic work. They do not have the
skills to build an "academic program" and find the "white faculty" unable to help them in a significant way.
-3 8-37-
Orientation -- The students interviewed who had entered the College
requests for academic advising and career guidance are occurring. As the
after the Fall opening spoke of being overwhelmed 1 confused I and frustrated.
They recommend a formal orientation to the system and some planning for their
academic work that allows them to put a program together that represents more
than "what is left over."
The student services staff is developing plans for improved Orientation of all
students which will hopefully respond differently to the needs of diverse stuThe Committee feels that such plans should be supported and implemente d
as soon as possible.
quest for a clinical psychologist to be added to the staff is being made.
A reThe
Research and Grants -- The area of Research and Grants
I
somewhat
misplaced in the student services area in the College Self-Study, is however
closely tied to the central concept of Evergreen that the student and his education are primary and inseparable.
The College policy is to encourage only that
research whi c h provides for the students' learning projects as defined andre-
Health Services -- The student Health Services is oriented toward preventi ve
health education.
that long term or crisis psychological treatment resources are limited.
Committee fee ls very serious consideration should be given to it.
Many references were made by students of the Evergreen "cultural shock."
dents.
Center has established Olympia Community contacts it has become apparent
It has been working with the Olympia Community for medical
quested by him.
Research projects have developed around students' interest
in local Community problems
1
specific group and individual contracts.
This
referral services and financial assistance for medical costs. A health insurance
year three students were granted federal funding for specific individual projects.
program is available to students.
Local community funding has also been supplied to student projects.
It is recognized that all student illness needs
are not fully met by these provisions.
about his or her body and its care.
Priority however is on educating the person
The women's clinic
1
administered and staffed
by students under medical guidance is an excellent example of preventive health
care and of learning by doing careful creative work guided by expert supervision.
Counseling Center -- The Counseling Center has not been oriented toward
long term psychological treatment and psychiatric illness.
lems
1
career guidance
1
decision-making
1
Developmental prob-
and academic advising have been of
major concern. An adequate professional staff is available.
Student paraprofessio
als have been trained to perform in-take and counseling responsibilities.
Increas ir
-40-39-
-- Faculty-student relations at Evergreen are remarkably open, friendly,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
and direct, yet they seem to be focused largely on the content and process of
It is clear to this Committee that The Evergreen State College is a
students' learning.
By general faculty account, the overall structure and those
major as set to the higher education of young people in the State of Washing-
of the College strongly support dedicated teaching and continued faculty learning.
ton.
Areas of prof e ssional expertise are recognized and used, but a high value also
The Committee found a number of things about the College which deserve
special commendation.
is placed on continuing faculty intellectual growth, through both specialized
and interdisciplinary projects shared with students and faculty colleagues,
Here are a few:
The College-wide organization for intensive faculty-student contact seems to
-- The spirit and morale of both faculty and students at Evergreen are
ing relatio nshi ps that probably are rivalled on very few public campuses.
surprisingly high, even for a new and innovative College.
-- Evergreen students seem to be unusually busy, interested, and personally involved in their own learning.
allow a very effective use of teaching time, and to encourage academic advis-
In our many discussions with groups
The Committee was impressed by the high intellectual caliber, imagination, and personal commitments to teaching of the faculty members with whom
and individuals, we found students open, articulate, and generally enthusiastic
we talked.
about their College and the education they are receiving.
the College.
In classes, we ob-
These faculty traits fit well the declared goals and philosophy of
They are vital to the intellectual worth and excitement of Evergreen's
served a high level of student engagement with intellectual issues and principles,
innovative teaching, and to the success of its system, which charges faculty/
and a refreshing absence of the "academic games" common among undergraduates
student groups with large areas of freedom and responsibility.
at many institutions.
The College's ways of emphasizing students' responsi-
-- We also found at Evergreen an unusually serious emphasis on thorough
bility for their own learning appear to have evoked authentic self-motivation
evaluation of each year's educational programs.
in most students whom we met or observed.
tration participate in openly planned, new educational ventures and in the periodic
-- Combinations of lectures, readings, small-group discussions, individual tutorials, field internships, laboratory experiencies, group projects, learn-
Faculty, students, and adminis-
assessment of their results to a degree unknown at most colleges.
-- We found the physical condition of Evergreen's campus clean, cheerful,
ing contracts, and other devices are used with unusual creativity and purposive-
and well-kept, a compliment to the College community's respect for its environs
ness by Evergreen faculty and students, As a result, students seem to learn
and to the effectiveness of its maintenance staff.
important skills of analysis, criticism, and cooperative educational planning
suggest that helpfulness and competence are typical of the College's clerical
early in their Evergreen careers.
and secretarial staff as well.
-41-
-42-
Student and faculty comments
the distribution of faculty in the l!ght of team needs in coord·
mated studies,
Recommenda t10ns:
l.
The College's emphasis on flexibility and change requires continuous
the needs of students for advanced study on special problems
f
or or the mastery
decision-making about education programs that depends for its effectiveness on:
of certain prerequisite skills and the llke.
a)
a representative group of faculty skllls available in the several modes of in-
accurate information about students and their needs and b) adequate analysis
of trends in such matters as student attendance, programs, intellectual growth,
Insofar as possible, there should be
struction.
and the utilizatwn in the post-college years of skills and abilities gained dur-
5.
ing the Evergreen years.
While recognizing that faculty, students and administrators develop the
It is recommended that a centrally established institu-
curricular program, especially Coordinated Studies Programs, for any given
tional research effort systematically collect such data and make such analyses.
year by an elaborate process of proposal, review and negotiation, we recommend
2.
The Committee recommends that ways be sought to involve the professional
that the Deans of TESC consider one further step.
Some faculty and students
library staff, the computer services staff and the instructional media personnel
have express e d concern that they do not know why the Deans choose which pro-
in planning of the academic programs to be offered.
grams will be offered the following year.
We suggest that the Deans might dis-
cuss wlth faculty and students the reasons for their decisions.
3.
Otherwise, faculty
The Committee has noted that faculty and supporting media staff may have
and student concern for the "remoteness" of such decisions might feed suspicions
inadequate time for planning the academic programs of following years.
Prowhich are uncharacteristic of the TESC situation.
cedures that assure the availability of planning time may increase the precision
of program descriptions in catalogue supplements and provide more lead time for
6.
library and other media staffs to obtain supporting materials, and the Committee
both viable and appropriate for Evergreen State and applauds the efforts being
recommends consideration of adopting such procedures.
made to simplify the complex machinery of student evaluation.
The Committee finds Evergreen's system of evaluating student achievement
that these efforts at simplifying the process be encouraged.
4.
It recommends
At the same time,
In distributing faculty resources among the various instructional activities
the Committee understands that oversimplification of the evaluation system will
required by the College's curriculum-- coordinated studies teams, contract work,
weaken the evaluation process -- espectally in its educational value to students
projects in cooperative education and the modular courses --administrators are
and cautions against mere streamlimng of a complex and perhaps necessarily
cautioned against solutions based on mere expediency when larger issues may
cumbersome process.
be at stake.
It is recommended therefore that periodic reviews be made, analyzing
7.
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The policy of the College to provide equivalencies in traditional course
titles and credit hours for the mterdisciplinary programs is a very useful one,
and should be continued for the benefit of students who may wish to transfer
The Evergreen State College
to other institutions.
May 21, 1974
8.
Evergreen State has a great stake in maintaining a positive and creative
relationship with the surrounding community and with the State of Washington.
In large part the College has already addressed itself to this matter thru its
cooperative education program as well as through less formal involvement of
faculty and students in Olympia affairs.
However
I
Dear Father Paul:
it is recommended that methods be found to encourage a bilateral
relationship between the Evergreen College Community and the community at
large -- i.e.
I
Rev. Paul E. Waldschmidt
President
Universit y of Portland
Portland, Oregon 97203
an attempt should be made to bring Olympia area citizens to the
campus for involvement in academic offerings 1 and cultural happenings 1 not
I am transmitting to you a list of recommended changes in the Evaluation
Committee Report and a set of the pages with those corrections entered to
facilitate your consideration. I believe the reasons for the suggestions
are self-evident: they are submitted in the interests of accuracy.
We are indee d gratified by the Evaluation Committee Report, by its complimentary and congratulatory tone, by the perceptiveness of insights and by
the constructive recommendations. There are two matters that I feel obligated to note:
only as spectators but especially as students and as resource persons in the
teaching functions.
1.
The conclusions (pp. 41-42) do not give recognition to the
invaluable contribution made by the staff which supports the
instructional program. Whereas the report is, perforce,
directed more to the instructional program, we readily
acknowledge that much of its success is conditioned by an
efficient, well-intentioned and first-rate staff. Perhaps
some appropriate commendation might be added.
2.
In the Student Services section there is no reference to
Admissions, Financial Aid and Placement, and Housing. And,
there is no reference elsewhere to Computer Services. This
may have been inadvertent ommission by the team members in
submitting their reports.
Special efforts should be made to take advantage of the exper-
ience and expertise of retired persons living in the area
participation in the life of the College.
Further
1
1
by encouraging their
as far as possible, advantage
should be taken to utilize on the campus the expertise available among state
government personnel.
As for publicity
I
the College should avoid a defensive posture and instead
seek to educate the public in positive terms as to the philosophy and methods
Again, my thanks to you for a task exceedingly well executed.
eagerly to the June meeting of the Commission.
of the College and the opportunities it offers.
Since~e~
/_
/(.(1 I
yours,
/ ,
t,._;__
Charles J. McCann
President
CJM:jk
Enclosures
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Olytt.pid
Washmgtc ' 98505
I look forward
Recommended changes in the Evaluation Committee Report:
PAGE
5
5
6
6
6
7
8
9
9
9
lines 13, 14, 16, 17, insert "Academic" before "Deans"; we have
other Deans
7 lines up -- emphasis inverted: read more like, Instead of conventional grading system each student receives a narrative evaluation
written by his teacher and compares it with a similar one prepared by
himself .
line 1, add after area: or interdisciplinary problem
line 9, modular courses are largely for introductory work -- not in
depth -- hence, change "depth" to "introductory fashion"
line 17, add after necessary: ", without additional funding."
line 3, insert "allocated according to state formula" --the onus there
is on state formula, not on what could be construed as "stinginess"
on our part
8 lines up, delete "After the probationary period" -- all appointments
(except visiting and a few initial one-year ones) are of three year
duration
5th line, delete last sentence; done
line 1 0, insert after to": the College's Affirmative Action cornmi tment and to"
last line, the passive tense is ambiguous: better "some faculty mem bers organized a Faculty Forum
(i.e., it has no official status)
6 lines up, self-destructive should probably be self-terminating or
self-destructing
line 7, change "Student" to "Campus" to reflect correct title
line 17, delete "Students" --correct title is Non-White Coalition
suggest section on Research and Grants be constituted as separate
section or appended as part V. of "Academic Programs"
line 2, would suggest deletion of "young" --average student age at
Evergreen is higher than the other four-year schools; we are doing
much (though not mentioned in report) with "reverse internships," etc .
in meeting needs of people beyond the 18-21 year bracket
item 8 -- suggest last paragraph be made end of first paragraph; and,
in second paragraph, delete "However" and begin sentence with "It"
II
11
35
37
40
41
45
