Task Forces Meet .* What Comes Next?
Introduction:
Throughout the Fall Term seven faculty task forces
have been meeting regularly to share research,
discussion and proposals in their designated areas. The
task forces were the conception of Academic Dean
Helmick who envisioned the committees as
instrumental in exploring and planning Salem’s future.
On Saturday, Feb. 18, the combined task forces met to
hear each task force chairman briefly explain the
group’s findings and conclusions. Since each task force
was familiar only with its own report, the task force
summations were met with comments from the faculty
members attending the meeting. See related stories,
commentary on page two.
What follows is a synopsis of each
of the individual reports
submitted by the task forces:
A statement of confidence in
the work of the task forces
opened the first combined
meeting of the seven faculty
committees, created last
September. Expressing
appreciation for efforts that
exceeded expectations, Dean
Helmick initiated the “beginning
of a dialogue” that will find
fruition in changes and
improvements in all seven
designated areas.
The meeting was planned to
allow each task force chairman a
15 minute period, during which
the report would be summarized
and the major thrusts of the
conclusions explained.
Discussion from the faculty as a
whole followed each synopsis.
The advising report, as
explained by Dr. Kelly, seemed
to stress two major points. Kelly
emphasized the group’s support
for an increased faculty
committment to advising. A
designated period to be used
specifically for advising purposes
was also suggested, with more
emphasis on the benefits of group
advising. Dr. Gossett commented
SMIHITE
Volume LX Salem College, Winston-Salem, N.C., Friday, February 24, 1978 Number 13
Critical Review
How Funny Was He?
By Laura Castellanos
and Jane Dittmann
It is interesting to find a
comedian who recognizes that
quality acting is essential in
comedy. Though natural creative
ability is essential to the
comedian, a routine based
primarily on characterizations
requires acting talent as well.
Tony Lawrence, the young
comedian who concluded Salem’s
Humor in America Symposium
Monday night, is a self-professed
actor and comedian. His style is
based on characterizations, w ith
situations growing out of the
portrayal of various
personalities.
Lawrence belongs to the
currently popular school of
comedy typified by George
Carlin and Lily Tomlin. This
genre of comedy emphasizes the
personal experiences and images
that the comedian can share with
the audience through humor.
Lawrence did three short
routines which were very
hnaginative and funny. The “Oil
of Olay” spot, a take-off on Sixty
Minutes and childhood memories
of nicknames for grandma were
particularly well-done, and were
received exceptionally well by
the audience of about 150
students.
fortunate that
points” in his routine
through several
that lacked
Ho. 1 ^t'aracter and situation
development. Lawrence’s
routines about the French
restaurant, the gas man and the
suicide prevention center are
comedy cliches and they lacked
the creativity and development to
set them apart from similar
routines.
A more lengthy portrayal of a
press conference with Anwar
Sadat was a novel idea, but
Lawrence failed to supply
adequate lead-in to the material.
Lawrence’s best developed
routine concerned a Saturday
morning school for traffic
offenders. His portrayal of
Captain Anthony H. Lawrence,
the bumbling highway
patrolman, was both complete
and imaginative. The blackboard
“diagram of an accident” was
also novel and appealing.
Lawrence concluded his act
with a most successful routine
concerning the guest register in
the Salem Alumnae House. The
audience appreciated the routine
because it was easy to relate to on
a personal basis. Many
individuals have perused the
comments in the guest book, but
Lawrence’s comic sense made
them hilariously funny, and his
inflections brought new
mea” ngs to some very mundane
statements.
Monday night was
first in a year-long series a
performances for Lawrence,
would be interesting to note the
seasoning effects of road
performances on the comedian
whose act could certainly benefit
from experience.
Search For Missing Books
Search your room, closets, dorm attics and study
rooms! Library materials are missing and may be
returned now - with no questions asked.
Honor Council and librarians are encouraging a
campus-wide search for books and periodicals which
have disappeared from Gramley Library. Only with
support from students can this drive be successful.
on the imporatnce of advising as
predominantly for academic-
purposes, although “there is a
dimension of personal
couTiSeling.” The rigidity in a set
meeting time was questioned, but
Kelly was quick to reply that this
would merely be a time reserved
for advising if the students and
faculty involved should so desire
it. The efficacy of induced faculty
involvement was discussed, but
this seemed a minor concern a.^
currently only two faculty
members are not advising. The
advising task force stresses a
program that will not encourage
dependency, but rather one that
will stress independence
achieved through support.
Dr. Nelson, chairman of the
Task Force of Evaluation,
delineated two types of
information derived from
evaluation. Formative
information enables self-
improvement, and summativc
information aids in decision
making. A system of evaluation
deriving both types of
information is necessary for
Salem, Nelson explained, and the
next step would be to select the
instrument for evaluation. The
committee indicated that the
time element prevented them
from meeting their goals
completely, and they were unable
to explore evaluation with
respect to department chairmen,
the academic dean, etc.
The Task Force on Faculty
Development que.stioned whether
faculty development should be
tied to faculty evaluation. Their
conclusion, as explained by
Dr.Pate, the group’s chairman,
was that faculty development
should not be linked to faculty
evaluation. Faculty development
should be a voluntary and non-
evaluative program according to
Pate. The program should
enhance effective teaching and
provide support for scholarly
pursuits. Dr. Kelly reinforced
support for increased emphasis
on scholarly writing. Pate
commented that “we don't
envision Salem as an institution
seriously concerned with
scholarly research, but teaching
will be affected if people don't
keep up in their fields.”
The benefit of a Faculty
Research and Resource Center
was questioned and Dr. I,azarus
explained that its purpose was
not to inhibit or impose
censorship, but rather to provide
a consultant’s bureau for those
engaged in research. Support
was indicated for the task force's
recommendation of a video
studio.
Craig Miller, chairman of the
Task Force on Educational
Resources, explained that the
major thrust of the group’s report
is a concern with academic
efficiency. The task force spent
most of their time reviewing the
January Program, and came up
with several suggestions. Their
recommendations included a
time-table for January with
emphasis on pre-registration as
an aid to the faculty. The
committee is not in favor of
enrollment quotas and suggests
Cont'd. on two