USA > New York > Tompkins County > Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York : including a history of Cornell University > Part 46
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quiring all students of the university to wear a military uniform. The faculty were by no means united in the belief that the university should be transformed into a military school. They saw that in the very nature of the university, it would be impossible, as well as undesir- able in its future growth and development as a seat of advanced study, to enforce the universal obligation of military drill and dress. The expense of such a costume, as well as a reluctance on the part of students to invest themselves permanently in a costume which was without beauty or variety, raised serious opposition on their part. Finally, as a compromise, it was enacted that as a distinguishing badge, all students should wear a military cap. The faculty seems to have raised some objection to even this compulsory badge, but the trustees claimed authority to dictate and determine a general policy, and directed that the rule should be enforced.
THE UNIVERSITY SENATE.
At a meeting of the executive committee held October 30, 1889, it was provided that in the case of the appointment of a full professor of the university, no election shall be made except upon the nomination of the candidate by a committec composed of the president and all the full professors of the university. On November 4, 1889, it was pro- vided that the professors thus organized should constitute a body to be known as the Academic Senate. On November 12, the name Academic Senate was changed to University Senate. On December 2, a formal statutc was enacted, as follows:
"1. The University Senate shall consist of the president of the uni- versity and all the full professors.
"2. It shall be the duty of the senate to counsel and advise in regard to all nominations for professorships; to consider and make recom- mendations in regard to such courses of study as may pertain to more than one faculty of the university; and, in general, to consider and make recommendations upon any question of university policy that may be submitted to this body by the trustees, or the president, or either of the faculties.
"3. The meetings of the senate may be called by the president, or by the secretary upon the written application of any five members; and at such meetings the president, or in his absence the dean of the general faculty, shall preside. The senate shall have a secretary
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whose duty it shall be to keep a record of proceedings, and call all meetings under the direction of the proper authority."
It was also ordered that on the reception from the president of any nomination for a full professorship, "the senate, after proper de- liberation, shall vote by ballot yea or nay upon the recommendation; and their action, with any reasons for it which the senate may see fit to submit, shall be certified to the Board of Trustees."
On June 18, 1890, the statute regarding the senate was further modified by making it the duty of the president whenever a full profes- sorship was to be filled to nominate to the senate the person whom he shall consider most worthy to occupy the vacancy The change thus made provided simply that the president should take the initiative in all nominations, such action in the original form of the statute having been overlooked.
On October 22, 1890, the constitution of the Senate was changed by the following statute of the Board of Trustecs:
Resolved, That whenever any full professorship is to be filled, the president of the university shall, upon request of the Board of Trustees or of the executive committee, seck diligently and to the best of his ability, bearing in mind the pro- vision of the fundamental charter of this university, which forbids him to take cognizance in any political or religious views which any candidate may or may not hold, nominate to the senate the person whom he shall consider most worthy to occupy the vacancy to be filled; thereupon the senate, after proper deliberation, shall vote by ballot yea or nay upon the recommendation; and their action with any reasons for it which the senate may see fit to submit, shall be certified to the Board of Trustees, who shall then confirm or reject such nomination. Said confirmation or rejection shall be by ballot, said ballot to be not by a single open vote cast by any one person, but by the ballots of all present and voting.
The reasons which determined this action are obvious. It was felt that in these important questions there should exist a responsible ad- visory body, which should take cognizance of the needs of the university as a whole and preserve a certain symmetry in its development. The pressure of individual departments for recognition and enlargement was a constant factor tending often to an undue expansion of any single field of instruction, at the expense of more important departments which demanded recognition. In the increasing field of the world's knowledge, it was necessary to take cognizance of new subjects, and a carful and deliberate judgment on the part of the senior professors was deemed of highest value as an aid in the deliberations of the trustees. Action, in itself admirable, might otherwise be taken without full con-
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sideration of all the interests involved. The question which naturally arose was, how shall the university policy be directed to secure that intelligent and uniform administration, which shall enable it to develop in accordance with the advance of science? There could be but one answer to this question, and that was that all questions relating to courses of study, to the bestowal of degrees as well as the. nomination of professors, should be entrusted to the appropriate faculty for decision. To entrust the decision of important legal questions to a body of artists, would be as unwarranted as to confer the control of questions of art upon a corresponding body of lawyers. Education is a science and has a history coincident with the growth of knowledge and the development of the human mind. It is, therefore, in itself a historical question as well as one of philosophy. The history of every particular science must be investigated in order to choose wisely the methods of study in that science. There was on the part of the trustees a profound conviction that the faculty of the university should be the active and responsible governing body, and that it should determine the character of the instruction and advise in the appointment of all instructors and professors. The trustees should form the permanent corporation, holding in trust the property, and confirm or reject all nominations and, in conjunction with the faculty, make all regular appropriations. It was felt that the faculty was alone competent to estimate the amount and variety of instruction required, preliminary to a degree, the number of departments and instructors, and the needs of the library, museums and laboratories. It might properly express an opinion of the expediency and character of all buildings which were to be erected. As regards the establishment or enlargement of depart- ments, the resident instructors, who devote all their attention to an institution of learning are best fitted to judge of the wisdom of any change. A multiplication of departments may cause the regular and most essential courses of instruction to be neglected or deprived of the means of enlargement. The institution of a senate such as was con_ templated exists in some of the most progressive institutions of our country, and is the established and historic mode of administration in Germany and in most other countries of Europe. In ignoring a system approved by the results of a thousand years, American colleges have made an experiment fraught with immeasurable loss to the efficiency of their development and to the progress of education. Two methods have been proposed for accomplishing this purpose: 1st, by authorizing
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the faculty to elect annually two or more delegates to sit with the corporation, participating freely into its deliberations and expressing their views on all questions, becoming thus the medium of communi- cation between the faculty and the trustees, or by establishing a university senate which may represent the authoritative voice of the faculty to the trustees upon such educational questions. The provision in the statutes of several States, which forbids professors in a college from becoming members of the corporation, is so framed as to exclude those who have devoted a lifetime to the study of educational questions from having any voice in settling the most important interests con- nected with academic culture. It is too often the case that the voice of the faculty is not heard in all questions affecting the welfare of the university, so that while sitting apparently in the place of authority, they are powerless to correct abuses and carry out important reforms. The law of this State, which formerly forbade professors in colleges from being members of the corporation, was repealed when the Hon. Samuel J. Tilden was governor; representatives of some one of the faculty of Harvard have served in the corporation and in the Board of Overseers repeatedly during the present century. The second method of attaining the end desired, by the establishment of the university senate, was that which was adopted by the trustees of this university. A profound and far-reaching wisdom was manifest in this action. It added dignity at once to the position of a professor and created an esprit du corps and sense of responsibility which were in the highest degree a contribution to the advancement of the educational interests of the university. A system so valuable in its results, winning at once the co-operation and enthusiastic participation of the faculty in sup- porting the executive of the university, and in promoting all interests which advance its welfare, could not have been otherwise obtained.
The expediency of the establishment of a senate was abundantly verified in practice. Previously, there had been no common organization by which the members of both faculties, viz., the Academic and that of the Law School, could meet together for mutual counsel or authori- tative action. Many questions affecting the inter-relation of the Law School and other departments of the university demand such con- sideration in common. The provision establishing the Law School, which permits students in the Academic department to elect work in the Law School to a limited extent during the last two years of their course, as well as the qualifications and terms upon which such liberty
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shall be allowed, as well as the question of a common calendar for the two faculties, demand an organization such as the senate. In practical operation, it abundantly vindicated its appointment. A conscientious effort on the part of professors constituting any group within the senate tó secure candidates of the highest reputation and personal standing for the ehairs which were to be filled, was manifested. All appointments during the period of the existence of the senate were made after a careful deliberation and comparison of the qualifications of all candi- dates named, and all appointments received the cordial support and endorsement of the faculty. Professors so elected came to the uni_ versity with the consciousness of the approval of their appointment and a welcome to their new field of labor. The senate ceased to exist by action of the trustees October 6, 1893.
ALUMNI REPRESENTATION ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
A new element in university administration has been introduced, in giving to the alumni the right of representation upon the Board of Overseers or Trustees. It was expected that a double object would be attained by this measure, that new men having a personal interest in the university and a recent knowledge of its needs, would become a part of the government, and that the alumni would sustain a permanent relation to the institution, when directly associated in its management. This may be regarded as an adaptation of the English university system by which masters, in residence for a part of the year, at Cambridge form the senate, and at Oxford the convocation, legislative bodies to which all regulations are submitted for discussion and approval. Grad- uates who retain connection with the university are thus enabled to contribute the results of their learning to. the decision of all matters affecting chairs of instruction, degrees and government. The contrast which exists in the scholarship of English and American students upon graduation makes the experiment in the two cases far from identical. The class to which authority is entrusted in the English universities is, in extent of study and experience, far in advance of our own graduates and is composed in most cases of professors, and resident masters pursuing liberal studies still further. In some colleges in this country, the right to participate in these elections is limited to graduates of five ycars standing, but if it is important to continue the relation of the alumni to their university, this delay in conferring the right of suffrage
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until after a considerable period of separation from the college, has certain disadvantages. The fact that so large a portion of the alumni of our colleges are scattered throughout the land, and thus removed from an opportunity of voting in person at Commencement is obviated in some cases by a provision enabling a ballot for alumni trustees to be sent by mail, which is counted as if delivered in person. Any method which will retain the active interest of the alumni in their alma mater is worthy of examination, and possibly of trial. The first university in this country to introduce the principle of alumni representation in the choice of trustees was Harvard University. It was proposed as early as 1854, and a bill was introduced in the Senate of Massachusetts in that year which passed through most of the preliminary stages, but failed to be enacted owing, it is said, to the pressure of business at the close of the session.
On April 28, 1865, an act was passed by which the right to choose the overseers of Harvard College was transferred from the General Court or Legislature to graduates of five years standing, who should vote by ballot on Commencement day, in the city of Cambridge. The choice of overseers was at first limited to citizens of Massachusetts, but by a supplementary act passed March 5, 1880, persons who were not inhabitants of the Commonwealth, but otherwise qualified, were made eligible as overseers of Harvard College. In the act establishing Cornell University, no mention is made of the election of trustees by the alumni, but in an amendment to the charter, passed April 24, 1867, it was provided that whenever the alumni of the university should reach the number of one hundred, they were empowered to elect one trustee. By an amendment to the charter passed May 15, 1883, it was provided that members of the alumni who were not present at Commencement might send in their ballots in writing. The difference between the Harvard provision and that of Cornell consists in the fact that at Harvard there are two governing bodies, the fellows or corporation, and the overseers who exercise the right of veto upon all action of the corporation. The graduates of Harvard have the right to elect the entire board of overseers consisting of thirty members. Their influence may thus be exerted at once effectively, in determining all questions of policy, through the overseers. At Cornell there are fifteen elective trustees, five of whom may be chosen by the alumni. The power thus conferred is limited, when compared with that of the alumni of Harvard. In further distinction from the Harvard system, all Cornell alumni,
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wherever resident, may participate in the election of trustees. The system may now be tested by its results as nearly thirty years have passed since its introduction. It may be premised, that where there is a large and intelligent body of the alumni residing in the vicinity of a college, attendance upon the meetings of the trustees and active partic- ipation in the decision of all university questions are possible, and the results attained of a different order, from what occurs when the alumni are widely scattered. A choice of the ablest and most influential scholars and educators may be made whose residence will permit them to give the most careful attention to the interests of the university; but it may be questioned whether the results under the present system have fully equaled the expectations which had been formed. The character of the trustces or overseers elected by the alumni has not greatly differed from those previously chosen. In most colleges, a majority of the trustees have always been graduates of the college and the fact of an election by the alumni did not change their essential character. Where alumni trustees have been substituted for a long list of ex-officio members as at Yale or Harvard or elsewhere, there has been a real gain. At Harvard, however, the substantial power still rests with the corporation, which is in the main a self-perpetuating body, while the overseers have only the right of confirmation of its nominations, and do not originate action. An alumnus is chosen for prominence in social or political life, or for eminence as a lawyer or clergyman and not because he has any intelligent acquaintance with the history of education, or is qualified to judge of the demands of higher learning at the present time. Local considerations often influence the selection of candidates, and party interests are not always forgotten. Men are elected, who can snatch but a hasty moment from the pressing demands of professional life to decide upon questions affecting the permanent educational interests of the nation, and to judge of the standing and qualifications of professors in all departments of learning. The election is often determined by a small proportion of the alumni who are able to be present, or have an interest in voting. In such cases an active local interest or an aggressive partisanship may prevail, and a choice occur based upon some remote college or society popularity. The attendance of trustees so chosen has not always been secured, and only a measure of success under favorable circumstances may at present be considered as attained by the system.
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On several occasions the influence of the alumni has been very ad- vantageously felt in presenting their views in regard to questions of uni- versity policy. One of the most notable instances of this kind was in connection with the subject of honorary degrees. It had been the settled policy of the university from the beginning to bestow no honorary degrees. Soon after the beginning of the administration of President Adams, he recommended the bestowal of honorary degrees, believing that a time had been reached in the history of the university when such degrees might be properly conferred in recognition of distin- guished attainments by our own graduates or others. At the second Commencement of the university, President White had stated publicly and explicitly that it was the policy of the university to bestow no honorary degrees. The University of the State of New York had be- stowed upon Professor Goldwin Smith the degree of Doctor of Letters, in recognition of his high scholarship, and distinguished services to education both in England and America, and above all, of his generous identification of himself with the various educational interests of the State. This degree was formally presented at Commencement, 1870. Upon this occasion, President White stated that the trustces had deci- ded to confer no honorary degrees, but he was gratified to have the honor of announcing that the Regents of the State of New York had delegated to him the pleasure of conferring the degree of Doctor of Letters on one whose labors in the field of letters the world is proud to acknowledge, Goldwin Smith. The trustees, under the impression that the faculty of the university favored the proposed change in policy, passed a resolution in favor of granting such degrecs. This resolution was opposed by the alumni representative in the Board of Trustees, who, however, decided that the provision requiring the concurrence of two-thirds of the members of the faculty, would guard against any dan- ger which might arise from an indiscriminate and unguarded bestowal of such degrees. Immediately after this action, four names were pre- sented to the faculty for honorary degrees, whose merits the faculty would have been glad to recognize, had they not felt a pride in the honor of the university, which enabled them to say that every degree conferred had always been earncd and established by satisfactory courses of study and confirmed by the requisite examinations and theses. Of the names presented to the faculty, one received twenty votes out of twenty-two cast, and one eighteen, in each case less than half the faculty. The question having been raised whether the resolu-
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tion of the trustecs contemplated the approval of any nomination by two-thirds of the resident members of the faculty, or by two-thirds of those voting, the question was referred to the trustees for decision, and the remaining names which had been presented were withdrawn. In reporting the action of the faculty to the trustees, the question of the interpretation of the law which had been raised, was not presented, and these two degrees were voted by the trustees, and stand alone as the only honorary degrees ever conferred by the university. Under these circumstances, a majority of the alumni presented a memorial to the trustees and faculty of the university, protesting against the adoption of the policy of bestowing such degrees as injurious to the university. It was shown that in eighteen years 1,122 first degrees and 82 second degrecs had been conferred, and that for every advanced degree a cer- tain specified amount of work under careful supervision, with residence, together with the presentation of the proper thesis and examination had been required; that if the policy of conferring advanced degrees without study and residence were pursued, the value of all degrees would be impaired and graduate students would have less incentive to pursue their studies in course for degrees which might be obtained honoris causa. It was believed that such a policy, involving as it did a distinction between different members of the alumni, would result in final harm and in an appreciable loosening of the bonds of loyalty. The various departments of the university were so numerous that it would be difficult to determine between the merit of students distinguished in different branches. To attempt to weigh, for example, the claims of an alumnus who has written a successful novel against the claims of one who has built a great bridge or made an important scientific discovery, or achieved marked success in any profession, was manifestly absurd. " You cannot," says D'Quincy, "affirm imparity, where the ground is oceupied by disparity." Where there is no parity of principles, there is no basis for comparison. How, then, can any body of men determine the conflicting claims of the graduates of various and widely divergent departments? It was shown that in the year 1884, sixteen obseure col- leges in this country had conferred ninety-nine degrecs in course, and seventy-two honorary degrees; and that in the year 1883, five hundred honorary were conferred in the United States. President Barnard at Columbia College had recommended a most stringent policy " in conse- quence of the constant and annoying pressure upon the board by out- siders, by whom every form of social and even occasionally political
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influence was brought to bear to induce them to confer academic honors upon persons doubtfully deserving." President Gilman had stated : " The whole system as at present maintained is full of fraud towards the public, unfairness towards men of letters and dishonor to the name of learning and to the thought of academic honor." Boston University had boldly adopted the policy and announced it in its catalogue. "The university confers no honorary degrees of any kind." The claims which might be brought to bear upon the university by successful poli- ticians, who have risen to high positions in the State and National gov- ernments might not be casy to be resisted. This significant appeal to the faculty was signed by the presidents of all the alumni associations of Ithaca, New York, Central New York, Western New York, New England, North-Eastern Pennsylvania, Washington, Chicago, Minne- sota and Ohio. Upon its presentation in the faculty, the faculty re- ferred it to the trustees with a unanimous approval, where a resolution was likewise passed without a dissenting voice rescinding the vote con- cerning honorary degrees. On other occasions when the opinion of the alumni upon questions of university policy has been presented it has always received full and respectful consideration. Such occasions have occurred in connection with the choice of a president, with the questions of professors' salaries and the erection of buildings.
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