THE CADRE, TUES., APRIL 9,-1974 Page 3

INA-L FORECAST u

I

This being the final issue of the Cadre, for this semes- ter, I would like to use this opportunity to congratu- late all those people who have managed to survive an- other year at 'good 'ole UPEI'. At many points this year I wondered whether UPEI would survive another year with the various 'adjustments' (sic.) being made at all levels! And.if the present trend of student decline in enrollment continues next year promises to be even more insecure for this university than this year.

The concern expressed by the Professors Association of ' UPEI over the provincial goVernmentfs reduction in fi-. nances allocated to our uni- versity reflects the broad- er problems manifesting them- se1Ves all through the insti- tution._A1ready there are fears that a number of prof- essors will be 'fired' be—' cause of the lack of finances. (The decline in enrollment accentuates that fear). At present there is great con- cern as to the nature of ed- ucational programmes at this university. Are our present structures hindering or help- ing the development of a bet- ter university? Will the pro- posed changes in the Arts degree programme attract or discourage students from

,«attending UPEI? ,

One could go on and on ask- ing ertinent questions about pertinent_problems. (There are so many you knowl). how- ever, the present investigaa Ltion of the philosophy of 7UPEI being done by a senate committee will hopefully carticulate and attempt to. solve many of these "pertin- ent" problems. However, Senate's general inability. to take risk and offer radi- cal solutions to these ever - malignant 'cancers‘ bodes not well for the aforesaid 'hope'. Therefore I would have tocinclude that the 'ice' on which UPEI slides, ‘is very thin. As a matter of fact, if one looks hard \ enough one can see in front of us the open water in which UPEI could sink if the route we are taking is not altered.

The Cadre has printed prop- osal after-proposal on the

‘

restructuring of the power relationships within the uni- versity. We have asked sever- al questions such as, should students have more or less control in the development

of their courses, hiring and firing of professors, etc.? None of these questions have been adequately dealt with. Simple minded people have seen simple solutions such as "no, the students are in- ‘capable of helping to devel- op the courses they wish to take just as they are incap- able of judging the worth of a professor they study under." But this is the mentality that pervades UPEI and which

»you and I are up against. ‘There are no simple solutions.

There must be great and con- tinuous dialogue among all people within the community that is UPEI before solutions

Ktil-“pus K oncern

bv-iool homun-

can be gained.

My direct experience of UPEI is now coming to its end since this is my last year at the undergraduate level. However, this does not lessen my con- cern for the future of UPEI. Since it will be part of my past I must assume responsi- bility for its being -- this I cannot escape! ‘

However, as everyone knows, after a few tokes one can escape anything, even UPEI!

At any rate I hope you all had fun reading my weekly "Bull—Session". I also hope you have a good and prosper- ous summer even though the economic indicators point to a summer of inflation the likes of which have not been known since those 'hungry' thirties. Get ready people - the revolution is closer than you think!