rr A n II Religion classes ignite credit
3 E/ \ IVI 1 controversy for dubious courses
By Melissa Martin
CM Ihf Emmld
Fewer SEARCH classes this fall
may be why last spring's con
troversy about University credit
for dubious courses is in
remission.
Last year several SEARCH
courses were put on the stand in a
sistent problem," Holbo says.
Religion has been the most recent
trend in SEARCH classes.
The academic affairs office was
interested in the SEARCH pro
gram last year because it wanted
to "maintain the highest stan
dards possible for the best possi
ble classes," Holbo says.
The SEARCH program is a 'persistent pro
blem/ says Paul Holbo, vice-provost for
academic affairs.
trial that dealt with the legal
aspects of separation of church
and state, according to Paul
Holbo, vice-provost for academic
affairs.
"SEARCH" stands for Student
Exploratory Actions Regarding
Curricular Heterodoxy.
The SEARCH program is a "per
The classes were designed to be
student initiated and faculty
taught. But now Holbo questions
the instructors' qualifications.
“Interest groups try to use these
courses for their own advantage,"
he says.
Holbo distinguishes between
religious groups meeting on cam
tmrrjld Photo
Paul Holbo, vice-provost for academic affairs, questions the
academic quality — and legal implications — of religiously
oriented SEARCH courses being taught at the University.
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pus, which will not violate church
and state law, and religious
groups using the academic
institution.
The classes and workshops ex
amined last year include "Twilight
of Western Thought: A Christian
Response," "Eckankar," "Cults,
the Occult, and the New Age" and
"Paganism and Witchcraft: Theory
and Practice.".
Doug Croothuis has been
teaching "Twilight of Western
Thought" for five years and says
he is pleased with the continued
student response. His class size of
20 to 30 students has been steady
over the years.
Croothuis says sometimes he
has a student in class who ques
tions his teaching.
"I like the interchange. It
sharpens the class."
Although many SEARCH classes
are accused of providing an easy
"A," Groothuis says his class is
tough because he requires a term
paper from students.
The class covers "big pivotal
issues," Croothuis says, such as
" 'Is there a Cod?' and 'What is
God like?' " Tht University avoids
these big questions, he says.
"Your philosophy has a direct
being on everything you do," the
University philosophy graduate
says. Groothuis also works with
McKenzie Study Center, a Chris
tian educational campus group.
"In American culture, Chris
tianity is considered an emotional
experience. But it is an all
encompassing view of self
existence and its implications."
Croothuis says his class deals
with the "authority of Cod, the
revelation in the Bible and the
revelation of Jesus Christ."
Students assume their pro
fessors are neutral, Groothuis
says, but "many professors are
prejudiced against the Christian
world view."
His goal in the classroom is to
help people think, "not just come
from the University with raw
data."
As a SEARCH instructor,
Groothuis receives no pay from
the University.
After many debates with higher
education officials and a law
school representative, Croothuis
helped his "Twilight" class sur
vive attacks against its academic
credibility.
Holbo says the class barely
"passed mustard."
"It's intellectually demanding,"
says Ben Johnson, sociology
department head. Although
"questions on Doug's (Croothuis)
ability" reach his office periodical
Emerald graphk
ly, Johnson says he has never
heard students complain.
"I've been uniformally impress
ed by the high quality of instruc
tion and attentiveness of the
students," says Johnson, who has
attended the class.
Because Groothuis is leaving for
seminary next year, this is the last
time the course will be offered, he
says.
Johnson calls the course an ap
proach to the subject matter that
"one does not often find in a
sociology department."
"I get letters of complaints
about SEARCH courses," Holbo
says. "I was awakened one Satur
day morning to a call."
students, townspeople or faculty
members can teach.
The credits transfer as electives,
she says, but do not fulfill Univer
sity requirements.
SEARCH courses must meet
department standards before they
can appear in the catalog, Hope
says, but the classes have the ad
vantage of being more relaxed,
having more discussion and being
more open than others.
"The University uses us
(SEARCH) to test out new courses
and we do it for free," Hope says.
Holbo suggests the SEARCH
program can maintain itself best
by maintaining the academic
level.
In SEARCH s history, the
Last year several SEARCH courses were put on
the stand in a trial that dealt with the legal
aspects of separation of church and state.
The ASUO-sponsored SEARCH
program is responsible lor exer
cising control over the actual con
tent in SEARCH classes, Holbo
says. By not filtering out the ques
tionable classes, Holbo says
SEARCH leaders are approving
them.
"We wash our hands of those
workshops.
"Students should have their
own activities, but don't drag the
University into this," Holbo says.
Former SEARCH coordinator
Mary Hope says the program has
"unlimited possibilities" because
sociology department has
cooperated the most, Holbo says,
by consistently meeting the ap
plication deadlines for the college
dean and curriculum committee.
"I for one welcome an expan
sion of perspective," says Johnson
of the "Twilight" class.
Holbo agrees that was the
original intent of SEARCH, and he
would like to see qualified faculty
members using the SEARCH pro
gram to teach language courses
such as Finnish and Hebrew —
courses that would normally not
be available at this University.
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