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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 6, 1983)
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Sun: 12 - 5 Lack of funds among problems stifling interdisciplinary classes By Sandy Johnstone Ot ttw EimhM Bridging gaps between departments with individual courses seems like an obvious way to fill educational holes, but the problems facing interdisci plinary classes often convert gaps into caverns. The most obvious problem is budgetary With departments already pared to the bone, some professors have difficulty ra tionalizing interdisciplinary courses to the administrative hierarchy when basic classes are in jeopardy “(Funding) is not an insur mountable problem but it is not easy to solve and we can't ig nore it," says Robert Berdahl, dean of the arts and sciences college So professors who want to teach interdisciplinary courses often must add them to their regular load The funding problems are compounded if professors want to team-teach a class. Hassles arise about which professor’s department will get credit for the class Because each person may put in as much time as for a regular class, it is hard to ra tionalize giving half credit for it to each department, say several University professors But the problems don’t stop with money. Steven Lowenstam, head of the humanities department, is not sure interdisciplinary courses are the best courses because the professor may not have enough knowledge of both fields Richard Stein, associate English professor, adds the students may have problems Emerald graphic PART III INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES because they may know much about one field but only a little in the other. Considering all the headaches professors seem to inherit when teaching interdis ciplinary courses, is it worth it? ‘‘Yes,” most would answer. Professors who have taught in terdisciplinary courses are enthusiastic about them even as they admit they were a hassle. Professors center interdisci plinary courses on the research they're working on, so the classes are more dynamic. Carolin Keutzer, a psychology professor, and Amit Goswami, a physics professor, teach a consciousness research class, based on research they are col laborating on And while they enjoy teaching together, both say teaching in terdisciplinary courses can be difficult when departments do not want to release them from their normal schedules. Some professors have prob lems finding someone compati ble who shares their interest Besides his work with Keutzer, Goswami also has taught an interdisciplinary course called the Physics of Science Fiction, which looks at physical principles that are par aphrased in science fiction li terature. "When the opportunity arose and the physics department was looking for new ideas in the early 1970s, it was just a natur al,” says Goswami. The first time he offered the class in 1973 about 15 students enrolled, and in 1981 the class attracted more than 100 students Goswami says using literature and writing as part of the grad ing process was a new exper ience He says he stressed physics over literature, but class discussions on the literature of ten arose Clarence Thurber, interna tional studies program director, taught a course fall term on world value systems that in cluded about a dozen faculty guest lecturers Thurber says problems do crop up when teaching such a course International studies grant money enabled him to avoid money hassles, but he confronted textbook availability and organizational problems But Thurber remains positive about his interdisciplinary course “Students are eating it up." Panel to contrast two religious sects Fundamental differences between Christianity and Judaism will be discussed by an interfaith panel in a series of three monthly dialogues beginning Wednesday "In an informal seminar setting we hope to probe those places where Christians and Jews view theological and ethical issues very similarly and also where they view them differently," says Tom Heger, campus Presbyterian director The discussions, titled "Living Toward the Faithful Vision of a Good Society," will be held Wednesdays in the EMU during the lunch hour "There is no real dialogue" between the Jewish and Christian faiths in this community. Heger said He said he is hopeful the discussions can develop an ongoing forum for Christian Jewish talks. The four panel members are Heber, Myron Kinberg, Rabbi for Hlllel, a student Jewish organ ization, Stacey Loeb, Hillel staff member and Stewart Shaw, campus Methodist director All are members of the Campus Interfaith Ministry Only three of 10 faiths are participating in the dialogues because "if we had waited for everyone at Campus Interfaith Ministry to get on board it never would have happened." Heger said The topic of the first discussion is "Founda tions of Faith " Differing Jewish and Christian perceptions and interpertations of the "Messiah" will be addressed Heger termed the "Messiah" as God's promise to his or her personal intervention in human history " He said each panel member would probably offer his or her own definition, however February's discussion is titled "Social and Political Ethics." "Personal Ethics” will be dis cussed in March Oregon daily . . emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald is published Monday through ^ iiday except during exam week and vacations, by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co at the University of Oregon Eugene OR 97403 The Emerald operates independently of the University with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union and is a member of the Associated Press New* and Editorial ••• *•11 Display Advertising and Business •••- 3711 Classified Advertising •••-4343 Production M6 43II Circulation •••••It E ditor Managing I ditor News t dttcrr Assistant Nows Editor Editorial Pago I ditoi Photo Editor Sports Editor Associate Sports Editor Entertainment Editor Night Editor Asaoctata (ditor* Higher Education Department* and Schools Student Government Features Poltltc* General Start Advertising Manage! 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