Repository: UIHistories Project: Dedication - Library Sixth Stack [PAGE 10]

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And so what should we expect of our universities and colleges? First, institutions of higher education must state candidly and realistically the standards of quality they expect in the students they admit A recent study by the Board of Higher Education shows that few universities and colleges in this State specify specific high school course requirements as a condition of admission, and that must change. Whether the specific requirements of the Board or some modification are adopted, I urge that each Illinois university, public and private, place the review of its admission requirements high on the agenda. Failure to do so will send a confusing signal to Illinois elementary and secondary schools and fails to make explicit the standards of quality that we intend to enforce. Second, I think Illinois9 universities and colleges must devote increasing attention to strengthening the basic disciplines. In recent years, we have addressed, and rather well, the special problems of the professional schools, engineering, commerce and business administration, law and other areas. And while we must keep those areas strong and preeminent, we cannot lose sight of the need to strengthen the common core of educational experiences which all undergraduates ought to share. Even more important than specific career skills is the ability of students to think logically and precisely, to use language in both its written and oral form effectively, and to understand and to apply concepts in science and mathematics in an increasingly complicated world. Just as the time has come to direct attention to basic fundamentals in our elementary and secondary schools, it is also time to focus attention in our universities and colleges on the basic disciplines and on the quality of education received by all under* graduate students. Third, if we are to achieve academic excellence in our universities and colleges, we must be able to attract and retain the superior faculty and staff members from whom excellence must ultimately come. 9