The University Press (Beaumont, Tex.), Vol. 22, No. 21, Ed. 1 Friday, March 10, 1972 Page: 1 of 12
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VOL. 22, NO. 21
BEAUMONT, TEXAS
FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 1972
University College delayed
Regents adopt new plan
PRESIDENT SPEAKS—Dr. Frank A. Thomas,
university president, outlines six points of the
reorganization plan approved by the Board of
Regents at Monday’s meeting. (Photo courtesy
of University Information)
By Judy Hammond
News Editor
Lamar’s Board of Regents
adopted a plan of academic reor-
ganization for the school Monday
In its morning session.
The proposal, presented by Dr.
Frank A. Thomas Jr., president,
is the culmination of many hours
spent in studying the two-college
plan and reflects the ideas of the
Regents and of those others who
voiced their opinions.
The plan is composed of six
points and it is hoped that two
of them will be initiated with toe
beginning of toe fall 1972 semes-
ter.
Being initiated are toe dropping
of toe minimum examination
score of 700 on toe Scholastic
Aptitude Test for an admission
requirement and a new grade
point computation method. This
method will allow those students
failing a course and taking it over
again for credit, to have only
toe passing grade and its assoc-
iated grade points applied toward
any certificate or associate
degree.
Other facets of the plan have
to be approved by the state Co-
ordinating Board, Texas College
and University System.
These include offering two new
associate degrees to students
who complete a prescribed two-
year program of study; changing
the title of the eight existing
Schools to Colleges and toe ad-
dition of a ninth College.
Regent Cecil Beeson of Orange
moved “that toe Board of Regents
approve a University College plan
in principle, with such plan to be
fully developed by toe university
President and Academic Deans.
On completion of toe plan, which
shall specify how and when it
will be implemented, the Pres-
ident with approval of toe Ac-
ademic Deans shall submit toe
proposed plan of toe University
College to toe Board of Regents.*
Following Beeson’s motion,
Regents approved in principle
a University College in which all
first and second year students
would enter, but instructed Dr.
Thomas and Academic Deans to
fully develop toe concept and
submit it again to the Board
before its implementation.
The ninth College calls for a
dean of the College “to coordin -
Plans for new library underway
Lamar University is em-
barking on toe largest single
building project in its history.
Plans call for the construction
of a new library facility on La-
mar’s south campus.
Lamar’s library facilities have
seen two major expansions since
toe first stucture went into use
in 1942. A whole new building
was opened in 1957 with a cap-
acity estimated at 80,000 vol-
umes. Construction cost was
$600,000. An $891,000 expansion
program in 1966 added a new
wing and a second floor bring-
ing toe library to its present
size and capacity.
As early as September of last
year, toe Regents’ Development
Council, Committee on Learn-
ing Resources, urged a “vigor-
ous program directed at toe leg-
islature, federal government and
foundation sources to obtain funds
necessary for toe construction
and development of a multi-
purpose library to serve toe
needs of the university for many
years to come.*
Chaired by Lee G. Griffin,
Beaumont, with Tom K. Lamb,
Beaumont, as vice chairman, toe
committee made the following
observations:
“Critical shortage of library
space, departmental buildup of
visual aid equipment and a des-
ire to maintain isolated control
over the equipment, and toe avail-
ability of certain special col-
lections in art, music, photo-
graphy and other cultural
legacies, point up toe results of
three sub-committee studies en-
gaged in probing the heart of toe
university.
“Hie university ranks far
below the average Texas insti-
tution of higher learning in lib-
rary space, office space and
permanent volumes. The pre-
sent library building is operating
almost at total capacity, and state
funds for adequately financing ad-
ditional facilities will not be
available until 1975.
“Some $150,000 in excellent
visual aid equipment, scattered
throughout the campus, is on
inventory, but is readily acc-
essible only to those departments
administering the equipment.
The university needs a service
program for maintenance, repair
and upkeep at a centralized oper-
ational level of all media equip-
ment.*
At toe time of its official open-
ing, toe Lamar Library was
named an official depository for
U.S. Government documents. The
library also holds special collec-
tions including that of toe late
Dr. Newton J. Friedman, rabbi
of Temple Emanuel; the Ameri-
can Digest System, a history of
American law donated by Sun
Oil Co., and the negatives and
photographs taken by toe late
Larry Jene Fisher during toe
1950’s, donated by toe late Lance
Rosier.
In 1968 Mrs. Ruth Scurlock pre-
sented the library with letters
and manuscripts relating to the
late Mildred “Babe* Didriksen
Zah arias.
Library holdings topped
150,000 volumes by 1969, more
than 200,000 by 1970, and have
now hit toe capacity point.
ate toe programs of instruction
and student counseling* and aca-
demic counselors to “reduce
student failure.*
All areas of toe plan were
approved by toe governing board.
However, Regent J. L. Smith of
San Augustine cast toe only neg-
ative vote. He opposed open
admissions saying there is “no
logical reason* why standards
presently listed in toe catalogs
cannot be retained. Open admis-
sions would “jeopardize toe
quality of all those degrees re-
ceived in the past.*
The University Press learned
that toe first 14 years of gradu-
ating classes from then Lamar
Tech were admitted under an
open admissions policy and that
toe selective policy was not
initiated until 1966.
Smith went on to say that with
changing of toe name to Univer-
sity that it did not necessarily
make it one.
He objected to associate
degrees in that he felt Lamar
had “sufficient programs already
in its framework to train those
not interested in academic de-
grees. He felt toe two new
degrees would “cheapen the
degree of those truly seeking
University status.*
One tenet of toe plan stated
“the traditional high academic
standards for which Lamar Uni-
versity is noted will be
maintained and strengthened."
Regents unanimously endorsed
that statement but Smith’s com-
ment was, “I doubt seriously in
view of the other items that it
would be possible.*
In a statementto the University
Press, chairman Otho Plummer
said that he expected toe study of
the University College proposal
to begin immediately.
However, he did say that there
was “no possible way of imple-
menting the program before toe
1973-74 academic year.’’
Plummer went on to explain
that toe plan has to be complet-
ed, okayed by toe President and
Academic Deans, submitted to
the Regents for their approval.
If the program gets the Regents
(See Regents adopt, page 12)
First of four parts
Three years
By Julian Galiano
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article is toe
first of four installments recording toe history
of toe past three years at Lamar. Today’s
installment is excerpts from an interview with
University President Dr, Frank A. Thomas, who
offered comments on his three years in office.
Q. Dr. Thomas, after President Richard W.
Setzer’s death in March, 1969, were you
interested or did you campaign actively for the
office of toe presidency of toe institution?
Dr. Thomas—In all honesty, I did not
campaign for toe job. In fact, toe period follow-
ing Dr. Setzer’s death, which was onaSaturday,
was something I’ll never forget since I was
at Lamar;
right at his side when he died. The following
afternoon, toe executive committee of toe Board
of Regents called me to meet with them and at
such time, they asked me to serve as acting
president until such time that they could appoint
a president. I told them, at that time, I would be
happy to serve in that capacity as long as they
wanted me to do so. I did not campaign for toe
job nor did I put in an application for the job.
Q. In the fall semester of 1969, after your
appointment as president, there were some
outspoken faculty members that made toe
charges that reprisals were taken and salary
raises were not being given those who did not
support you as president of the sehool. What’s
your response to such charges?
Dr. Thomas—I can both deny and affirm
an analysis
because I believe that we can go back and look
at the records. Both those who supported me
and those who opposed me did not get salary
raises.
Q. Why is it necessary for Lamar to oper-
ate under a system of four vice presidents
when other larger schools operate with as few
as two? Lamar operated under two vice presi-
dents in 1968.
Dr. Thomas—I think that we can iook and
find that there are institutions that are as large
if not larger than Lamar that have no vice
presidents. But we can find institutions smaller
than Lamar that have more vice presidents.
I think we may be hung up on semantics
more than anything else. Titles are really
(See Three years, page 12)
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Galiano, Julian M. The University Press (Beaumont, Tex.), Vol. 22, No. 21, Ed. 1 Friday, March 10, 1972, newspaper, March 10, 1972; Beaumont, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth499597/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Lamar University.