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Volume XLVII, .No. The U of L Student Newspaper
Copyright 1975, The Louisville Cardinal
October 31 , 1975
President announces academic quality commission
by Steve Wingfield
U of L President James G. Miller
ann unced Wednesday the formation of a
Faculty Commission to pursue greater
academic quality at the university.
1l1e announcement was made during
Miller's "State of the University" speech
delivered to the University Assembly last
Wednesday. The speech is regarded as
Miller's annual report.
Dr. Miller said the commission's charge
is "to suggest ways the university may
devote its efforts and spend its funds to
achieve greater excellence in teaching,
scholarship, research, and a wide range of
services."
"During the last two years we have
had to devote our attention - too much
of our attention - to budgets and
building. Our financial situation is not yet
comfortable , but it is now under control.
In this next year let us turn our attention
chiefly t what should be the central goal
of every university."
Miller said the members of the
commissi n were selected "not because
of any position or role he or she may
have, but because of his or her own
academic achievements and sense of
academic excellence."
Also in the speech, Miller said,
"Prospects for a substantial increase in
state support for the university is good,
although we may not get as much as we
have asked and receive it all as soon as we
may wish."
Miller said he "has taken the lead
among the state's university president's"
in requesting a 10 per cent cost-of-living
raise for all personnel of the university in
each of t he next two years.
Other items that Miller touched upon
were what he considers the achievements
of the university during the last year,
both large and small.
Among the more important
achievements that Miller reported were
the completion of the facilities master
plan, the completion of the university's
interim academic master plan, and
significant improvements in student
services.
Miller said the task of fmding enough
' space for the rapidly growing university
community will not be accomplished
until the proposed building program is
implemented. "But," he said, "we find a
spirit of sympathy and helpfulness in the
community as we struggle with the
short-term problems we face."
About the facilities master plan, Miller
said, "We must not set our expectations
too high because the funds may be
available more slowly than we wish." He
added, '"there is no reason to believe it
will not ultimately be forthcoming."
"The primary beneficiary," said
Miller," of the plan will be future
generations of students." ·
Miller said the interim academic
master plan documents the university's
need for more money, and "explains that
President Miller giving "State of the University" address Wednesday
the rapid growth of the university is and costly delays is underway."
likely to continue, at least for the He added, " Fears and skepticism
immediate future." about computers and mechanized
Also, Miller said the rapid growth has procedures that existed a few years ago
caused much difficulty in providing are melting away as it becomes clear that
business services to the university. He there is nothing humane in filing data or
said , ' The imple mentation of a compiling statistics. At the University of
management information system using Louisville, such time-consuming rote
technology to eliminate such drudgery tasks will be left to machines."
Fall enrollment up 10%, reflects other schools
by Debby Graves
Enrollment is up ten per cent this year
at U of L, making for a total student
population of 16,000. While 1 he increase
reflects a general trend in the state
university system U of L is leading most
of the other state schools in the
percentage increase.
Murray State is ahead of U of L with
an enrollment up twelve per cent from
last year's figure and North Kentucky
State and the UK Community College
System are leading the state schools in
enrollment gains.
In the Louisville area, the student
enrollment . at Jefferson Community
College jumped 31%, IU Southeast went
up by 24% and Bellarmine College by
15%. Spalding College enrollment rose
only 1% over last year's enrollment of
1 ,1 00 st\tdents.
Gary Morrison, U of L Registrar
suggests several reasons . for U of L's
increase, including the current economic
situation, the tuition decrease, U of L's
outreach program, students recruited
through the WLEP (West Louisville
Educational }:Togram), and an increased
federal funding of financial aid programs.
HI don't think anyone knows exactly
why," says Morrison. "I think it's
possible that our growth is a result of the
depressed economic situation - for
instance, Eddy would've go~e to work
but couldn't fmd a job, so he dediced to
go back to school. But that's only one
possible explanation."
"We reduced tuition by a hundred
dollars this year. That, and the increase in
fmancial aid is bound to have an effect."
Blake Tanner, director of Financial
Aid, estimates that funds available to U
of L students are up by at least one-half
million.
"I would say that there's a half to a
three-quarter million dollar increase,"
says Tanner. ~'A half million dollar figure
is probably more reliable, but it may be
three quarters before the year's over."
According to Tanner, the BEOG
Program (Basic Educational Opportunity
Program) has shown the largest increase.
When the program was introduced at U of
L in 1973, $16,000 was available to U of
L Last year the figure rose to $200,000,
and this year $350,000 has' been allocated
in BEOG funding.
"It could go up to $400,000," says
Tanner. uBEOG is one of those programs
with no set cut-off point."
Morrison feels that the publicity
campaign by the university has
contributed to the ·rising enrollment,
including athletic publicity.
"Red Rage, whether or not we win
ballgames, draws attention to the
university. And so does being prominent
on national TV with our basketball team.
U of L was in the paper and on TV a
thousand times with its basketball
success."
WLEP, which recruits students in the
West Louisville area, has brought about
150 students to U of L.
''These students, who would probably
not ordinarily consider college, account
for one per cent of the ten," says
Morrison.
One factor which may have slightly
influenced enrollment, according to
Morrison, is a significant change in the
ratio of female to male students attending
UofL
~'When I came to U of L the student
population was 28 per cent female. Now
CllliiiUftn
it's up to 44 per cent. In 1966 black
students made up less than two per cent
of the total enrollment. That figure's over
11 per cent this fall."
While other schools have been showing
substantial increases in enrollment,
Morrison says that the Graduate School
has dropped in enrollment, and suggests
that the current busing of Louisville
students has affected school teachers who
would normally enroll in graduate
courses.
"The shrinkage is in Grad Ed," says
Morrison. "A lot of the teachers are now
unable to attend the courses set at 3:30
and 4:00."