Shipped to Fenwick Library 26 September 2007, this paper was planned to be the first of four articles on systems science in higher education to be published as a series in Klir’s journal General Systems, but it was the only one of the four which was published.  Paper copy of the publisher offprint is in Box 93/18,  C0016, SCRC, George Mason University Libraries. There is also a pre-publication version available from the Warfield Catalog by clicking on VIEW PDF button above.

ABSTRACT for the paper written by Warfield: Obstacles to initiating and sustaining systems-science programs in higher education are identified, and described in the first of what is projected to be a series of integrated essays. The first of these, titled "Overview" explains why it is necessary to consider the obstacles collectively, rather than piecemeal, in order to appreciate why it has proved so difficult to establish and sustain such programs. A set of obstacles is identified and the obstacles are described briefly. In succeeding essays, it is intended to describe each obstacle in more detail. In the final essay in the series, a proposal for overcoming the obstacles is planned.

This "Overview" article, was planned by Warfield to be the first of a series aimed at the longer run possibility of getting systems science worked into higher education. He asked George Klir, editor of International Journal of General Systems if it would be possible to present a 3-part series rather than just one article. He felt a single article could not cover his subject completely without being too lengthy for a journal article. Whereas, if his ideas were published in a set of shorter "chunks" the series would be of interest to readers. George Klir agreed and Warfield sent the first article on 18 March 2006. No reviewer response was forthcoming but George finally just went ahead and published Warfield's first overview article without waiting on the reviewer. In mid-February of 2007 Warfield sent in three more articles (he had decided he needed a 4 part series to complete his theme). He was informed by George's secretary that the manuscripts would be sent out for review. Nothing more was heard about the remaining three articles. After waiting about five months, Warfield finally withdrew his remaining three manuscripts from consideration by Klir's journal. The journal has published the first of the series, but not the remaining three. All four of the articles were sent to GMU 27 September 2007 and are in Box 93 of Warfield Special Collection in Fenwick Library Titles of the four are: Obstacles to systems science programs in higher education: overview “Obstacles to Systems Science Programs in Higher Education II: Thematic Vulnerability,” ”Obstacles to Systems Science Programs in Higher Education III: Virtual Conspiracies,” “Obstacles to Systems Science Programs in Higher Education IV: Orthogonal Extension.” Warfield said that he believes that Klir's reviewer did not want to accept the articles. "Because if he accepts these manuscripts it will mean he agrees that everything systems educators have been doing was wrong for the past 40 years." says Warfield. "On the other hand, if he rejects the manuscripts that will mean he doesn't agree with their message, and he can't do that, because he knows the message is correct" So the reviewer is doing nothing. Nothing more has been done with the four manuscripts. They are just sitting, in a box in Fenwick Library and in digital files on Warfield's computer.

NOTE: The very next year, Warfield was trying again, in yet another submission to George Klir's journal, this time a paper titled "Creating an Interactive Systems Science Program in Higher Education” in which he reused some of the themes from the Obstacles series. That paper too was not published. Unsuccessful in getting a timely reviewer response, Warfield finally withdrew it and donated it to GMU.

r.w. circa 2007