Valedictory Address

“Valedictory Address” (May 1974): 2-7. (UA Case 68, Box 2)

For many of us here today this ceremony signifies the termination of our formal education. But what is education? Lord Halifax contended that education is what remains when we have forgotten all that we have been taught. Does this in fact suggest that a university education is merely an exercise in futility? I think not, rather it suggest that education per se should not only consist of specialized training in a particular career but should also be styled in a manner so as to develop and accentuate social and cultural attitude which will foster a better understanding among mankind.

In this age of unprecedented growth in technology and rapid changes in social attitudes, a university will better fulfill its function within society if it exposes its students to the form of education that is conducive to personality development and to the strengthening of his or her ability to grasp new concepts and to formulate solutions for the new problems which we are to be confronted with.

A university education accomplishes one of its main functions if it educates graduates in a manner which stimulates them to be receptive to innovative ideas and to incorporate them if necessary while not being overwhelmed by them merely because they suggest a new and exciting manner in which to approach a given problem.

As our environment changes more and more rapidly it is self evident that to hold a sterile view that post secondary education should merely program a student for a particular career, is to misunderstand the purpose of education.

It is a university’s role to prepare one of the mastery of a particular discipline and to supplement this by providing ones with the basic education skills which enables one to perpetuate the educational process.

Universities by their very nature are autonomous from society, they will remain so only if they continue to be receptive to the goals society has set for itself. One of society’s primary goals is to provide equal opportunity for those individuals of equal ability. For individuals from the lower income bracket education may serve as the only method through which they may gain social mobility. For many of them a university education is still inaccessible because of their financial situation.

In a repost recently released by the Economic Council of Canada it was stated that of the total enrolment in post-secondary education in Canada more than 1/3 came from families with an annual income of over $10,000 and less that 1/5 came from families with incomes of less than $5,000.

These statistics are particularly disturbing in that in the Maritimes Provinces some 39% of the population falls within the $15,000 or less per annum bracket, while only 1/5 of the university population is composed of students from this income level.

This university has taken steps to make certain that there be equality of accessibility to a university education, however much remains to be done. Representation must be made to the government by the university community in order to lighten the burden of some students who are forced to borrow large sums of money because of their unfortunate financial situation.

The low income groups continue to be a segment of society that has been insufficiently tapped by the university. UNB must continue to adapt itself in order to provide these individuals with the opportunity to benefit from a university degree.

To do so the university must provide the leadership necessary to eradicate the financial barriers which continue to hinder the universal accessibility to higher education.

As citizens of this Province and Nation we have a responsibility to make certain that democracy continues to flourish. In order for democracy to do so, citizens must take an active part in the legislative process. Similarly university students should become actively involved with faculty and administration in their attempt to improve the educational process.

There has been a disturbing tendency of the part of many students on the Fredericton campus to sit back and allow someone else to complain or to take action. An example of such complacency, was the total lack of concern of students in relation to the implementation of the new marking system known as the “Kepros System”. This new marking system will eventually affect student’s ability to gain admission into professional or post-graduates programs. Yet when a public forum was held on campus, where university and student officials were present to discuss the new marking system, only a handful of students were in attendance.

I am not suggesting that every student should become actively involved in university government, what I am suggesting is that students should concern themselves with the decisions which are made by the administrations, which are going to influence the nature and value of the student’s education.

Efforts by university officials to gain student input into the decision making process have it too many instances been frustrated by the total lack of concern amongst many students.

I wish to stress the fact that not all the blame need rest with the students as there are numerous faculty members who seek to perpetuate the servile role of the student within the university. These professors profess that the student’s role is to be seen and not to be heard, they seek to stifle the student’s attempt to become involved in the shaping of his own education. These professors drive students into complacency by refusing to allow student representation on faculty councils or other decision making bodies.

These are also the professors who continue to regard any formal evaluation of their courses by students through course evaluations with published results, as a direct affront, rather than regarding the student’s attitude toward the course as valuable information as to the effectiveness of the professor’s teaching methods.

The process of education can only continue to flourish where there is frank and free discussion amongst all members of the university community. Thus we have a responsibility to each other to prevent the adaptation of the attitude that students should be processed in much the same manner as cattle are processed through a stockyard.

As I stated earlier in my valedictory a university best fulfills its function within society by educating its’ students in a manner which is conducive to good citizenship and above all prepares one to meet the challenges to be encountered upon leaving the university.

There has been a definite failure by this university to recognize its responsibility to provide the English speaking students of the Province with the opportunity to gain the necessary language skills in the other offered language of our nation. Most of you will not doubt agree, that the ability to converse in both official languages would be most beneficial for any student entering the job market.

UNB has somehow failed to move in the direction required in order to enable English-speaking students to develop and improve their ability to converse in French.

The solution to this problem does not lie in compulsory second language training while at university but rather in encouraging faculty and students to become involved in the type of language training that is both interesting and rewarding.

Fellow graduates, I would like to conclude by stating that we must never forget nor neglect the challenge of our University Mother.

This is a challenge which we have met by becoming graduates, a challenge which we leave to the university and finally it is a challenge which we must throughout our lives strive to meet, it is “To Dare to be Wise”.