School embraces changes

By Tamika Robinson
Feature Editor

Student-led protests against the Vietnam War, the addition of buildings such as the Gostomski Fieldhouse and Skemp Hall and playing hockey outdoors are some of the things that make up Saint Mary’s University’s past.

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The 1960s to the 1980s proved to be a time of transition for SMU. The once all-male college became co-ed in 1969, the physical appearance of SMU began to enhance with the addition of new buildings and modern facilities such as the Toner Center, also in 1969, and political speech began to have its voice on campus.

Some of today’s faculty and staff were around to witness those changes. Dr. William Crozier, history adjunct professor and university archivist, came to SMU in 1968. He began his career here as a history professor and recalled what SMU was like when he first came.

“(When the college was still all-male) the academics at that time were really terrific, not that they are bad now. (Students) didn’t have things like the Internet and iPod’s. They had to go out amongst themselves and to debate in class. It was a very lively and intellectual year,” said Crozier.

He also recalled when the Vietnam War began and the effect that had, particularly at SMU. “The Vietnam War was going on and that was kind of critical,” Crozier said. “There was a lot of strife about whether the war was just. There were a number of student movements, some pro-war and some anti-war.”

Students from the College of Saint Teresa and even faculty members participated in movements that wanted to destroy draft records, like the Anti-war Movement, which was strong at SMU. The Women’s Movement and the Civil Rights Movement also had strong influences on SMU at that time.

Throughout the history of SMU, some things have remained the same, like the student-teacher relationships and the expectation level of the teachers, said Dr. Marilyn Frost, associate dean of social/behavioral/computer sciences and psychology professor, who came to SMU in 1969 as a professor.

“There’s a spirit here that a lot of schools don’t have. There was at that time and there still is,” said Crozier.