argument174 [0710G 戴三个表冲刺小组] 第13次作业

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TOPIC: ARGUMENT174 - The following recommendation was made by the president and administrative staff of Grove College, a private institution, to the college's governing committee.

"We recommend that Grove College preserve its century-old tradition of all-female education rather than admit men into its programs. It is true that a majority of faculty members voted in favor of coeducation, arguing that it would encourage more students to apply to Grove. But eighty percent of the students responding to a survey conducted by the student government wanted the school to remain all female, and over half of the alumni who answered a separate survey also opposed coeducation. Keeping the college all-female, therefore, will improve morale among students and convince alumni to keep supporting the college financially."

WORDS: 436          TIME: 00:33:21          DATE: 2007-8-7 16:24:24

In the recommendation the president and administrative staff of Grove College call for preserving its century-old tradition of all-female education rather than admit men into its programs. The recommendation is problematic in several respects, thus made it unconvincing as it stands.

To begin with, the president cite that in a survey conducted by the student govenment eighty percent of the students wanted the school to remain all female. But the president fail to provide any evidence that the respondants are representative to all the students in the school, and it is highly possible that is just the position of part of students. And also we know that is is a common character of female students they are a little shy, especially when asked this question, they are more likely to give the answer that the public supposed to be right but not thier own idea.

In addition, even assum the majority of students opposed coeducation, the governing committee,  which responsible for the fully development of students , should have the courage of reform to meet the requirment of world to keep up with the development of the world. The coeducation can help the female students have a more socialized study envoriments which will great benefit them in forming open and active character, and in turn will feel easier and agreeable when they graduate and enter the society. The majority of faculty members voted in favor of coeducation can illustrate the point well. Thus the problem of improving morale when remain all-female education have less support.

Finally, the president implicated that the alumni will stop supporting the college financially only because over half of the alumni who also opposed coeducation. But he provide absolutely no evidence that there is a couse-and-effect relationship between position on coeducation and financial suppor. It is entirely possible the alumni will always keep supporting the college finacially in spite of that they oppose coeduction. They may regard the education policy is the business of administratives of schoole the alumni. Even assume the alumni who oppose coeducatin will stop financial support, the school will not lose significant support if the half of the alumni  who hold the opposing position just provide a very small part of financial support.

In sum, to convince me remaining all-female education is reseanable, the president need provide evidence that the respondants in the survey are representative to all the students. And the president also need present clear evidence that coeducation will cause a morale decline. To better assess the recommendation, I need the evidence that the alumni will stop supporting the college financially if begin coeducation in school.