Students, faculty to discuss quality of life

The quality of life of the average undergraduate at Caltech will be among the issues under discussion at this year’s Student-Faculty Conference. In the spirit of a frank and open discussion, few things will be taken for granted; even the Honor Code—Caltech’s vaunted principle of student conduct—and the academic core curriculum will be examined.

These conferences normally take place every two or three years. But the one scheduled for April 29 will be the first held in five years, a fact that may help explain the number of topics that undergraduates wish to discuss with faculty.

Students want to clarify the curriculum goal of the core curriculum, determine which topics should be taught, and learn what options exist for students pursuing a nonscience career.

The efficacy of the Honor Code will be called into question, and avenues to resolve Honor Code issues will be examined. Students also plan to explore ways of building trust between undergrads, graduate students, and faculty.

Other issues to be considered include the number and kind of student activities that exist outside the classroom, from advising and mentoring to opportunities for socializing. Students also want to discuss the gender-specific needs of female students and the support systems that are in place for that group.

Past conferences have led to changes, from the physical—such as getting phones installed in student rooms—to the academic, such as a reduction in the number of units needed to graduate.
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