These are excerpts from a regular column in The Vector an informal,
unofficial, and unheralded publication I edited during my years
teaching at Lock Haven University. In response to overwhelming
demand (a couple of people at least) these are being archived here
for those strange people who enjoy wallowing in nostalgia.
Some of the references to then-current events may be puzzling, but
feel free to skip them, or relate them to more recent events of similar
nature (which can always be found). References to internal politics
at Lock Haven University may be easily transferred to situations at other
academic institutions. A few explanatory comments have been added in
square brackets.
Needless to say we could not honor his request. Our experience would be unlikely to transfer intact to another environment. Anyone foolish enough to try to emulate us would do well to consider a few words of advice and warning.
THE VECTOR was begun out of boredom, and a feeling that every campus should have a vehicle for faculty and student writing—"light" pieces, not stuffy or scholarly. not artistically pretentious. Such a publication should have enough variety to interest a wide audience, and should not take itself too seriously.
So unserious were we that we fully expected the enterprise to last only one or two years at most. Unfortunately readers began to take us seriously. Thus our mailing list has grown, as readers pass on THE VECTOR to corrupt innocent colleagues. [The print runs reached 500, with over 200 off-campus recipients.] There's no fun in duplicating what can he found elsewhere. So we try to include material just a bit different from that in other publications. We review the books others ignore. We take positions in opposition to popular views. We even make fun of serious matters and give serious consideration to nonsense and satire.
Has THE VECTOR had an effect? Well, we are encouraged by the number of people who tell us we are doing a public service, whatever that can mean. We are especially encouraged by the enemies we make, particularly those in administration, and in the Phys. Ed. and Teacher Ed. areas. We will do our best to broaden this base of opposition.
We strive never to he overly serious about anything, even when attacking deserving targets. One purpose of THE VECTOR is therapeutic. The world has many serious problems which are not being solved by endless discussion. It helps a bit if we can laugh about them occasionally. In fact, it helps if we can take time out to laugh at anything, even an outrageous pun.
Don't do something for only one reason. Require two or more reasons—or no reason at all.
Listen politely to other people's opinions and advice, even when you intend to ignore them.
Certain institutions and persons are deserving of contempt and ridicule, so give it to them. Silence implies acceptance.
Try occasionally to educate. Even if you reach only 1 in 100, that's better than most educational institutions achieve.
If even one reader either likes or bates on article, it may be worth doing more in the same vein. But total indifference ought to be taken seriously.
Violate any of the above when circumstances warrant.
When plans were first hatched to have a campus bell tower we suggested that such a tower could be a symbol of our administration, especially if it had a belfry which bats could inhabit. Well, it has no shelter for hats, but when its voice is heard, it sounds cracked, and if you look closely you can see that its supporting girders have a right handed twist. The structure is a bit screwy. So maybe our suggestion was partially realized.
The alumni and other friends of LHSC contributed $15,000 for this object of art. By contrast, the Friends of LHSC was able to provide $8000 in scholarships to be divided among 29 students during fall term. One wonders about priorities.
I notice that Penn State has built two nice gazebos on its campus, as part of its ongoing campus beautification project. Frankly, I prefer the gazebos, for they provide a shady place to sit and contemplate the universe. Our bell tower provides no shade. Besides, gazebos are quieter. When will Lock Haven State close the gazebo gap?
This building has a history of being ill-named. When proposed, a memo mistakenly called it the "Learning Recourses Center", but "Learning Resources Center" was meant. Then somehow it became the "Learning and Research Center", but at least its initials, LRC, remained constant.
Now, perhaps its name will endure, whatever goes on within its walls. Have you ever wondered why campus buildings are traditionally named after people? At private colleges. they are often named after the rich alumni who donate money for them. That makes sense. Public institutions seldom produce alumni that rich, or that willing to part with their wealth, so buildings are named for professors or administrators. In either case, future generations of students can look at the names on the buildings and ask, "Who was that?"
Score one mare defeat for academics. President Willis has just approved, for at least another year, the videotaping of sports events at the college for broadcast over the local cable system. Never mind that it takes equipment and technicians away from instructional TV services on campus. Never mind that the equipment and technicians were already overburdened with the instructional services for which they were intended. We must all bow down to the sports aristocracy. When they call, we must serve.
Score: Spurts 10, academics 0. Score: For our new president, on his First important test: FLUNK!
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| Thing of the year: Our administration. |
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[Dean Zaharis is the focus of many jokes in these documents. We should explain that he was actually one of the "good guys" in administration, a decent fellow who got in with a bad crowd. When he wised up and resigned from administration to rejoin the biology faculty, he, for several years, served as one of the proofreaders for THE VECTOR.]
Some readers have asked why we make jokes about the administration. Because, like Mount Everest, it is there.
Some folks in my department suggest that I shouldn't pick on the administration for fear it will retaliate by reducing support for our academic programs. Some even suggest criticism of college sports might have the same result.
These cautionary critics are actually condemning the administration in a more fundamental way than we ever have. They are suggesting that some administrators might be so petty and have such sensitive egos that they'd let personal annoyance at one faculty member influence their academic decisions affecting a whole department!
We don't hold such an opinion of our administration. We may disagree with some administrative actions and policies but we still assume that administrators are decent individuals trying to do what they think best for the school. If we thought they had overblown egos and were lacking a sense of humor, than we might worry about the possible consequences of our occasional needling.
It is unworthy of excellent men to lose hours like slaves in the labor of calculation.Thanks, Gottfried. I needed that.
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