Probing Ph.D. programs

The Association of American Universities (AAU), which represents 62 leading North American research universities, has issued a report urging them to reexamine the size, scope and performance of their graduate education programs. The report concentrates on Ph.D. education because it is the focus of national debate.

William H. Danforth, chairman of the Washington University Board of Trustees and former chancellor, headed the committee of presidents, chief academic officers and graduate deans from 14 AAU universities that prepared the report, released Nov. 11.

"Although graduate education in the United States is widely recognized as the best in the world," Danforth said, "it is criticized for overproduction of Ph.D.s, narrow training, an emphasis on research over teaching and insufficient mentoring of students. We have taken these and other criticisms seriously in our review and in our development of best practice guidelines."

The study examined institutional perspectives on graduate education, surveyed AAU-member universities about their graduate programs and drew up guidelines on best practices for graduate education policies and programs.

Many universities have already reexamined their graduate programs and responded with a wide range of changes, but more remains to be done, the report noted.

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Rare Chaucer volume joins library's Special Collections

"We make people wear gloves," joked Anne Posega, gazing fondly at her new edition of the complete works of Chaucer.

Well, not hers, actually, but Posega, as interim head of Olin Library's Special Collections, recently did help the University acquire the so-called "Kelmscott Chaucer," a rare 1896 edition by famed Arts & Crafts movement designer William Morris. Only 425 copies were published by Morris' Kelmscott Press, each containing 87 original woodcuts by Sir Edward Burne-Jones. Everything else -- from the cover and binding to the page layouts, the intricate ornamentation and even the typeface (called, appropriately enough, "Chaucer") -- was designed by Morris himself.

"It's Morris' masterpiece as a bookmaker," Posega explained. "It really marks the beginning of the modern private press movement. It's also an excellent acquisition for a university, linking library interests with fine arts and literary interests."

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Not a minute too soon to tackle 'millennium bug'

Time marches on, and with it the chance to anticipate and prevent any Year 2000 -- or Y2K -- problems in campus computers.

The Office of Information Services hopes to raise awareness among members of the University community about the so-called "millennium bug." Will Fritz, associate director of computing and communication, pointed out that any program written by faculty or staff that includes dates -- stored as two digits -- 98, 980701, 070198 or 07/01/98, for instance -- faces potential problems if the dates are used in:

• Greater or less than comparisons. These produce errors because while 1999 is less than 2000, 99 is greater than 00.

• Calculations. Programs often include "year plus 1" or "year 1 minus year 2," but when the date is stored as two digits, the program cannot produce 100 from 99 plus 1. Similarly, if the program calculates age by subtracting birth year from the current year, a student born in 1980 would be 18 in 1998 but a mystifying minus-80 in '00.

Alcohol:
A Campus Quandary

The Record Report on campus alcohol use concludes this week with a look at measures being implemented here and across the country to promote health and wellness and a renewed sense of personal responsibility. Among those adding their voices to the conversation are:

• Mini Weiss, director of health and wellness;

• Stephanie Baker, president of the Association of Black Students;

• Karin Hortsman, coordinator of Greek Affairs; and

• The Rev. Gary Braun, director, Catholic Student Center.

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