Department of Educational Administration

 

Date of this Version

1958

Citation

SOME DILEMMAS IN GRADUATE EDUCATION: A REPORT To THE CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ON A TRAVELLING FELLOWSHIP 1957-58, BY JOHN C. WEAVER

Comments

Copyright (c) 1958 John C. Weaver

Abstract

IN THE LATE WINTER OF 1957, WHEN I WAS DEAN OF ARTS AND SCIENCES AT KANSAS STATE COLLEGE BUT HAD ACCEPTED APPOINTMENT THE FOLLOWING JULY 1, AS DEAN OF THE GRADUATE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY RESEARCH ADMINISTRATOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, I RECEIVED AN INVITATION FROM THE CARNEGIE CORPORATION TO ACCEPT A TRAVELLING FELLOWSHIP TO VISIT A DIVERSE GROUP OF AMERICAN AND CANADIAN UNIVERSITIES AND THEIR GRADUATE SCHOOLS. My TRAVEL WAS COMPLETED IN MAY, 1958, AND THIS is A SUMMATION OF MY IMPRESSIONS DRAWN FROM THE INSTITUTIONS VISITED. OBViOUSLY THIS IS NOT A DEFINITIVE EXPOSITION Of WHAT OF GRADUATE EDUCATION. RATHER, HAVE CHOSEN TO DESCRIBE AS THE DILEMMAS HAVE ELECTED TO MAKE THIS AN INFORMAL STATEMENT, (ALMOST A CONVERSATION PIECE) OF THE THINKING, THE ATTITUDES, THE HOPES AND THE DESPAIRS OF UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATORS AND FACULTY MEMBERS.

UPON RE-READING THE MANUSCRIPT OF THIS REPORT ONE CONCLUSION STRUCK ME AS INESCAPABLE. UNIVERSITIES HAVE NO WELL-MARKED, BRIGHTLY-ILLUMINATED HIGHROAD TO THE RESOLUTION OF GRADUATE EDUCATION PROBLEMS. THE ROUTE, AS IT HAS BEEN AND PERHAPS SHALL ALWAYS BE, IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION. WE MUST HAVE FAITH, HOWEVER, THAT NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES WE ARE LED OFF ONTO BUMPY, WINDING DETOURS, WE SHALL SOMEHOW MANAGE TO FIND OUR WAY BACK TO THE MAIN THOROUGHFARE. DIRECTION WILL ALWAYS BE MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN COMFORT OR SPEED. I WISH ALSO TO ACKNOWLEDGE HERE, WITH HUMBLE THANKS, THE CARNEGIE CORPORATION'S KIND INVITATION TO UNDERTAKE THIS APPRAISAL OF GRADUATE EDUCATION; AND THE GENEROSITY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA IN PERMITTING ME TO BE ABSENT FROM THE CAMPUS DURING MY FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE. IT IS MY HOPE THAT THE ABRASIVE EFFECT OF MY TOUR HAS RUBBED OFF, TO SOME EXTENT, ON THE PAGES OF THIS REPORT.

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