Mass Media (Newspaper) - April 5, 1978, Boston, Massachusetts THE MASS MEDIA Volume 12 Issue 24 University of April 54978 Assembly Meeting FSU Free Period by Karen Davis A Union update was presented and a move to review the College of Arts and Sciences CAS Internship Programs was defeated at the University Assembly meeting of March 30 Shortly after the Assembly came to order at a representative of the discussed the present state of the agonizingly slow administration union contract negotiations He said that a first contract has been hammered out that is acceptable to both sides Not every relevant issue is contained in this contract the issues condition general salary increase and the status of tenure have not been agreed upon which the ad ministration still wishes to abolish within University Assembly member Bob Schwartz stated that a referen dum on the matter of the free period has been approved by the CAS Senate If the Senate requests such a vote it is common practice to go ahead with it The Assembly ap proved this issue date has yet been specified for the vote Photo by Richard M Laskey Jr University Assembly members deal with business in small science auditorium Some motions passed during the meeting are as follows The Student Discipline and Grievance Committee reported that the response of the Presidents Of fice to the proposed statement of Rights and Responsibilities was that it cannot be applied to all University members because of the contract negotiations That the drafts of the revised Assembly constitution be published in The Mass Media with a public hearing to follow publication possibly on April 11 and that a referendum will be held during the third week of April The Assembly approved the second reading motion that it recommends as academically sound the establishment of the Physics and Critical Thinking MA programs at These programs would require additional resources unlike the already programs on campus The Assembly received and transmitted the Graduate Council recommendations on these programs with the that some unresolved questions about the source of funding during a standstill budget be resolved The next category was New Business The Assembly passed a charge for the Chancellors Task Force for the improvement of cam pus life The motion that a special committee of five members be set up to review the Internship Programs in CAS for cost efficiency and to report its findings to the Assembly with any recommended change was tabled The Assembly will act upon this motion if more detail and specific allegations Union to pg 7 UMB Will Build Astrological Observatory by Michael L Trainor Contractor Abe Belanger is currently constructing a astrological observatory on UMBs library roof The observatory which will include a pound sixteen inch diameter telescope was made possible by a National Science Foundation NSF grant to the Physics Department and by excess University Capitol Outlay funds Belanger had originally been repair the shifting tiles on the library roof The tiles had shif ted because of faulty supports which caused leaks through the eleventh floor ceiling Designer Harry insurance company agreed to pay for the repairs The problem of how to strengthen the roof against noise caused by low flying planes still remained The Administration has solved this problem by giving the Physics Department its observatory The Department had the funds to pur chase the telescope and aluminum dome but until now lacked the funds for construction costs The eight foot telescope will be housed in a cylindrical wall sixteen feet in diameter From its position on the library the telescope will be able to scan the sky over Boston with the exception of the area toward the northwest which is too heavily polluted to allow clear visibility The facility is expected to be completed in three weeks and will be open to three ac cording to Physics Chairman Ar thur Martin The observatory will be used as an lab as a classroom for introductory astronomy and other introductory science courses on a monthly and will be open to the university community twice a semester Media Center personnel will lose the use of an antenna which receives micro wave signals from Harvard These signals broadcast a Biology lecture series The antenna will be relocated elsewhere on the roof Media Center Technical tor Ray Melcher does not expect any serious delays in service due to the construction The Physics Department has filed another proposal with the NSF for a heliostate a device that tracks the sun and permits it to be examined by the human eye It works through a series of mirrors which will project an image through a hole in the observatory dome CAS Senate Revises Requirements In Core New Students By Edward G Moran Since the merger of colleges one and two the College of Arts and Sciences CAS core requirements have been unclear Students en tering CAS in 1977 were forced too chose between two sets of requirements In an effort to clarify CAS core requirements a Summer Curriculum Review Committee ap pointed by the CAS senate made recommendations concerning the goals and purpose of the CAS and improvement of basic skills The committee made 41 recom 22 of which were passed by the senate The most im portant changes were the core requirements These changes will apply only to incoming freshman The new skills in English one course in basic mathematics or two courses at the elementary level in Correction In last weeks Mass Media in a page one story concerning the SAC meeting the statements were printed Dan Tobin was the only SAC member who voted the resolution appointed Dan Tobin to the Univer sity Pub Governance These statements are incorrect Dan Tobin did not vote the resolution down nor was he appointed to the University Pub Governance Com The Mass Media is sorry for any inconvenience caused by these errors nonnative exception chat competence in each case may be otherwise demonstrated through Other core requirements would include cour ses designated in the following areas Studies in History and Civilization Philosophical and Humanistic Studies Social and Behavioral Sciences Natural Scien ces and Mathematics Language and Arts Another important recom passed required all students to take competency tests in elementary skills no later than the end of the sophomore year Transfer students will take com tests no later than the end of their first semester in residence Students failing these tests will be required to reduce their course load and enroll in remedial workshops Students failing to pass these tests by their junior year will not be per mitted to enroll in further courses for degree credit
