Historically the American educational organization both institutionally and programatically within institutions has been adaptable enough to allow the co-existence of the most diverse institutional forms and curricular programs. In 1953, public 2-year colleges in New York State were encouraged to get rid of their 1-year vocational curriculums and to confine themselves to 2-year curriculums to prepare technicians. But the 1963 Vocational Education Act seemed to be a clear mandate for 2-year colleges to undertake work of the less-than-2-year variety in vocational education and, in 1965, the State University of New York (SUNY) Board of Trustees, on Chancellor Gould's recommendation, approved in principle expansion into sub-technical areas. The official position within SUNY since then has been that vocational education must enjoy parity of esteem with university-parallel education and technical education in the public 2-year colleges. Vocational faculty and students can and must co-exist on the campuses. The teacher's relative status should be dependent upon his knowledge of his field and his teaching competence--no matter how either was acquired. The sons and daughters of all taxpayers must have equal treatment as students. And who is to say that the vocational program student will not return later to work toward an associate degree, a bachelor's degree, or even higher degrees? (JK)