Application for admission to the University of the New World is a simple procedure. A specimen of the one and only form required is shown below. Actually even this form is not required; a letter of application will accomplish the same purpose.
The University has several goals; these are plainly expressed throughout this Bulletin. It is hoped that its offerings are also clearly stated. The costs, confusion, pretentiousness, and torture of conventional admissions procedures are avoided. The University believes that its student body will rally and form itself by natural processes without such bureaucratic agonies. And, in fact, a diversified, competent, and interesting student body is emerging.
It is expected that the students would not be typed by outward appearances. If a student is rich, he would not make anything of it; neither if poor. He would have a heart for others. He would be striving earnestly to govern his
hostilities, born out of injustices, and would seek to channel them into constructive activities for self and society. If not necessarily an intellectual, he would seek to understand and work with science and scholars. If an intellectual, he would seek to put his mind in the service of others. The end of it all should be the will and ability to act benevolently and beneficently.
Ordinarily, a student is informed of the acceptance of his application soon after he applies. Payment of his fee for the first three months is due one month after notice of admission, or immediately if less than one month before he enters. Admission and payment complete the process.
In many cases, a student will enroll far in advance. For example, he may apply in April for entrance in November. If admitted in May, his first three months' comprehensive fee will be due in June. Thus, the University will hold his payment of $1500 for roughly five months in advance of his coming. Those who, for reasons best known to themselves, cannot pay as stipulated may sign a promissory note for whatever sum they are unable to pay. This note becomes payable to the University one month prior to date of entrance. The note has to be witnessed and signed by a guarantor, that is, someone who asserts that he will advance the sum to the University should the student be unable to provide the sum himself.
The return of cash payments or notes is possible, on demand of the student, up to one month before entering the University, upon the payment of $50 to the University. (It is hoped that the Student will appreciate the fact that changes in membership intentions reflect themselves in costs to the University in planning faculty, space, and substitute enrollments.) A change of mind in the last month before entering will cost $200 against the payments already made or against the return of the note.
The logic of the above procedures is given added force by the plan for limiting the student body. The initial student membership is planned at 325, for June 1971. The number is expected to rise by two hundred every four months until it reaches 1500. This is regarded as an ideal total for the Valais University. Afterwards, there may be universities established by the University of the New World in other countries and enrollments will center in those expanded places.
It should be borne in mind, too, that student Members of the University will come at the beginning and thereafter from many colleges, as well as from secondary schools. Therefore the number of potential students is large from the beginning. Finally, the open application system of the University qualifies many persons who have been wiped out by the establishment schools. Again the potential student body of the University is enlarged, since many potentially excellent students have had removed for them certain formal barriers to the advancement of their education that may have been unjustifiably imposed.
After notice of admission and after payment of the first 3 months' fee, the Student is invited to send to the University for safekeeping and future use any and all material from the past that he or she deems may help in later evaluation. Such would be papers, biographies, transcripts, works of art (or photos of such), references, etc., etc. These are placed in the student's portfolio and consulted only upon the student's request. The student may add to or take from this portfolio whatever she or he pleases. The University is merely the custodian of this private portfolio.
WHAT TO BRING
One may carry the usual personal belongings, of course, up to the standard airplane limit (usually 44 pounds), or pay for the shipment by air or surface of other material. The material culture of Europe provides, of course, for all manner of personal property purchases. The apartments and rooms of the University residences are furnished, but can be adorned to personal tastes. Pets are welcomed by the University, but Members have to figure out whether and how they can bring them to a safe arrival in their Valaisan quarters.