Self-Examination

Three years ago the Council changed to the completely elective system; all student representatives were to be elected by the student body, and none appointed by the Dean's office as in past years.

But since there was much honest disagreement as to the merits of the elective and appointive systems, there was provision that after three years the Council should review itself and its constitution. The Council has now arranged to do this: it has in fact outdone itself in self-analysis by appointing two committees to cover the ground.

The larger committee, headed by Walter J. Rauschenbush '50, was formed last spring. It is composed mainly of laymen, who are expected to bring fresh points of view to this examination of the Council. This committee will take the broad outlook, considering not only how the Council fulfills its function, but what exactly its function is. It will, presumably, touch on the basic question of the elected versus the partly-appointed body, and evaluate the three years of elected Council.

The second Council self-help group, formed this fall under Charles R. Brynteson '50, is designed to study the structure of the present constitution it self. It will consider the mechanical workings of the Council and suggest solutions for the various small problems which have cropped up in the first years of operation. The members of this committee, mostly Councilmen, will be the technicians; the idea men will work for Rauschenbush.

In order to have liaison between the two bodies, Brynteson has been appointed to the Rauschenbush committee; there will presumably be closer ties than this even the two groups are studying the same thing, after all, from however different points of view.

Heaven only knows what the Rauschenbush committee will propose for the Council; God only knows what the Brynteson committee will do to the Council constitution. But certainly nothing but good can come of such serious and extensive self-examination as this.