The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 21, 1985, Image 5
Freshmen want to
still politically libe
By Associated Press
College freshmen arc more materialistic than ever
t>ut still tend to be politically liberal on issues like
disarmament, women's rights and school integration,
according to a recently released survey.
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1 tie ivtn annual survey 01 ircsnmau auuuucs,
"The American Freshman: National Norms for
Fall 1984," was jointly conducted by the University
of California at Los Angeles and the American
Council on Education, a Washington-based higher
education lobbying organization. More than
180,000 freshmen attending 345 nationwide schools
were polled.
Nearly 68 percent said a "very important" reason
for attending college was "to be able to make more
money" ? an increase from 66.7 percent last year
and considerably higher than the 49.9 percent in
1971.
BEING WELL OFF financially has thus risen
from ninth place in 1970 to second place among
personal values expressed by freshmen in the annual
survey, topped only by a desire to become an
authority in their field of interest.
"This continuing trend toward greater
materialism is consistent with changes in the
students' career plans," said UCLA professor Alexander
Astin, who directed the survey.
Astin sa?d the percentage of freshmen aiming for
business careers reached a record 22.2 percent this
year, compared with 20.4 percent last year and just
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11.6 perccnt in 1966, the first year the survey was
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Still diohtlv mnro frpshmen labeled themselves v
"liberal" or "far left" than "conservative" or "far pS
right:" 22.1 percent versus 20.5 percent. The rest t
considered themselves middle-of-the-road. This
represents a gain for self-identified liberals from U
1981, the one year conservatives outnumbered [g
liberals by 20.7 percent to 19.7, but is still a far cry ^
from the nearly 2-to-l edge liberals had over conservatives
in the early 1970s. ,
THE SURVEY suggested students no longer fit
neatly into political categories. j
students took a uoerai stand on military spending,
with fewer than ever, 32.5 percent, thinking
such spending should be increased. Nearly twothirds
believed "the federal government is not doing
enough to promote disarmament."
On the conservative side, only 26 percent supported
abolishing the death penalty, compared with
almost 58 percent in 1971.
Only 22.9 percent of students surveyed backed
legalization of marijuana, compared with 25.7 percent
last year and 52.9 percent in 1977.
And while a majority still supported ideas like
higher taxes on the wealthy and government efforts
to protect consumers, energy conservation and
pollution control, student support for such steps is
at or near its lowest point in the 19-year history of
the survey.
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Fair weather friends?
From left, freshmen Dee Hill, Helen Ferris and Pam H
the wind and frigid temperature as they take a walk
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JENNIFER STEIB / Tto tomcatk
arrison don't seem to mind
across campus.
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