“Seminary closure creates potential problems for philosophy and classics” plus 1 more

Seminary closure creates potential problems for philosophy and classics

Posted: 27 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT

Seminary closure creates potential problems for philosophy and classics

Written by Dustin Eckroth Tuesday, 27 April 2010 08:00

Since the announcement of the closing of Fargo's Cardinal Muench Seminary, academic leaders at NDSU have been exploring options to keep the philosophy and classics programs in place.

Fargo's Cardinal Muench Seminary is closing down after over 40 years of their professors teaching classes at NDSU.

NDSU and the seminary have had an agreement in place for over 40 years in which professors from the seminary teach classes at NDSU, while the seminary provides funding for their salaries.

To continue the programs, NDSU would have to hire some of the professors from the seminary as university faculty.

Thomas Riley, dean of arts, humanities, and social sciences, met with several department heads and faculty members and requested data from them.

Dennis Cooley, coordinator of the philosophy program, is currently gathering information on the number of faculty and courses needed to maintain a philosophy program at NDSU.

"I think that the issue will be the lack of positions available this coming year. We would have to come up with proposals that would be efficient and that would represent the most opportunity to the least cost," Riley said. "The competition across campus for these [few faculty] positions will be intense."

Jeanne Hageman, chair of the modern language department, added that the seminary professors will have to find new jobs if NDSU is unable to hire them.

Student and faculty support for the programs has been high. In addition to the number of students who have expressed their concerns through letters and e-mails to university leaders, many faculty members feel that philosophy and classics are basic services that should be offered at any university.

"The original idea of a university was rich in philosophy," John Cox, chair of the department of history, philosophy, and religious studies, said. "The goal of philosophy is understanding what life is about. It's at the core of everything else you learn."

"It would be a pity to lose something that is so basic to other majors," Hageman said. "It would be strange to call ourselves a university and not have classics."

"Even if the programs were dropped, the problem won't go away," Paul Homan, head of the honors program, said. "This [classics] is something a campus like NDSU has to have. It's non-negotiable."

"High school enrollment in Latin has been steadily rising for many years," Homan said. "Students expect to have these courses available to them when they come to a university."

There are currently 47 students working towards a major and over 100 working towards a minor in the philosophy program, and according to data provided by Hageman, an average of 35 students enroll in First-Year Latin each semester, as well as about 15 students in First-Year Greek.

This is in addition to the students who take classics courses in mythology, scientific terminology, and Roman and Greek history and culture, and philosophy courses to fulfill general requirements.

If the programs were dropped, according to Hageman, students who are currently studying philosophy at NDSU would be allowed to finish out their studies at either Concordia or MSUM, but no new students would be allowed into the programs.

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Education Unlimited offers 'The Philosophy of Law' at Colgate University

Posted: 27 Apr 2010 07:10 PM PDT

HAMILTON — Beginning on Monday, May 3, Education Unlimited offers its 92nd course to all area residents:

"The Philosophy of Law" will be taught by Jerry Balmuth, Harry Emerson Fosdick Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Colgate University.

Contemporary politics are concerned with the nature of law and the role of judges in implementing the law. It has become a common political theme that judges are not appointed to "make" the law but simply to "apply" the law.

Is this a reasonable requirement for judges and for the judicial system as a third branch of government? How, more exactly, are these directives to be carried out?

The class will examine certain critical cases in American law and discuss the proper role of the judge to see how the above directives would or could be fulfilled.

There will be four sessions, from 3-4 p.m., on May 3, 6, 10 and 13, with an optional fifth session. All classes will meet at the Hamilton Public Library. There is a $10 registration fee.

To register, send name, phone number and a check for $10 to Education Unlimited c/o Joan Goodrich 55 Lebanon St., Hamilton N.Y. 13346.

Run by volunteers and sponsored by the Madison County office for the Aging, EU classes are open to all regardless of age or education. Scholarships are available. Visit the EU website at:

www.educationunlimitedofa.org

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Philosophy

Wednesday, April 28, 2010