Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1977-1989 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 1981)
Staff photos by Duffy Coffman terror and Triumph9 teacher eyes future B Thomas-A. Rhodes I Of the Print | Joe Uris is a 41 -year-old sociology instruc tor on campus. He received his Ph. D. in Bciology last summer from Portland State Wniversity and has also attended Reed and Col- umbia University in New York. I Uris teaches the Introduction to Sociology and U. S. History courses on campus. But what ■red us to his doorstep for an interview was his ■f-de fined pop culture class, “Future: Terror or ■iumph.” I Uris granted PRINT reporters Duffy Coff I man and Thomas A. Rhodes an interview con- ceming the future, education and the future of education. The following is an edited excerpt from the interview. PRINT: You’re known throughout campus as an instructor of rather off-beat classes such as ‘The ^ture: Terror or Triumph.” URIS: I simply disguise common place material unde: an off-beat tide. The popular culture se- quence, if it were allowable, would be an inter- disciplinary course and it’s a euphemism for what most people are concerned with in their lives. For example, popular music, social history, stuff like that. PRINT: Many instructors seem to be trying to popularize standard courses such as history and the humanities because the requirements aren’t as strict as they used to be. In order to gain in terest in their specific department, they seem to try Ito lower subject requirements and ap- proaches to fit everyone’s taste. URIS: Is there a question there? PRINT: I guess there is, will the college have to try Ito popularize course such as history or 7 Ministry in order to fill enrollment quotas? URIS: First of all, I don’t think anyone is lower ing standards or bringing things down on any level. Many schools use popular culture artifacts J such as movies, records, or whatever to try to make the students understand the relevance of their course of study. Unfortunately, being an n |Vectual ’n America is considered an unwor thy activity. More so, being an intellectual in ( Clackamas County is considered very suspect. For those reasons, many of us here try « various approaches to social science or science issues. But, I don’t think we’re lowering anything. If students were adequately presented with the choice between hard work and real discovery, and wading through a lot of fluff, they’d choose hard work. Unfortunately, that choice doesn’t exist At community colleges, j students and teachers suffer somewhat from an/ inferiority complex, which is not warranted. / We have some of the best facilties—that I’ve encountered anyway-and I think we have some very good students. But, because of this com- plex, which is a self-inflicted prophecy, they (faculty and students) end up doing what is ex pected of them rather than their full potential. But when a student or faculty member decides to /ednesday, October 21,1981 work to their full potential, we get work that rivals all other institutions. Fve had students here who could move over to Reed College comfortably.. As to what’s happening at PSU, I just think that education isn’t *in’ anymore. PRINT: What brought this about? Is it that may people feel that the liberals and intellectuals caused inflation with their social programs? URIS: Well, everyone causes inflation. ft’s an economic question, not an intellectual Ohe. We’ve had war-time economic program since World War II and we’ve attemped to keep both guns and butter. Comparing social programs to military equipment, the social programs are cheap and generate economic growth« But, everyone is angry, and in America, we tend to blame the victim. PRINT: Do you think the college will cut the ex tra services such as the Focus on Women pro gram in order to save more classes? URIS: I hope not, it seems unlikely. PRINT: Are you in favor of stricter requirements in classes? URIS: Fm all in favor of stricter requirements in and for classes. We need to increase our academic standards. One of the biggest mistakes made in the 60’s was to equate easiness with vir tue. We should be academically tough. Fm not in the pop culture courses, largely because Fm trying to get the students to understand and ap preciate their own culture and the objective is not so much an academic one but a cultural one. If I ran the zoo-which I don’t-! would create an honor college within the college, ft would be a very rigorous part of the institution. The pop culture courses would involve more serious work. PRINT: Speaking of history, have you taught any other history courses other than U.S. History? URIS: Fve taught U.S. History, some pop history courses. I haven t taught Western Civiliza tion, nor have I taught any specialized history courses such as the history of the Bohemian culture. CCOSAC Community Colleges of Oregon Student Association and Commissions met at Mt. Hood Community College Oct 17 and 18 to discuss the Summer President Workshop, approve the budget, evaluate CCOSAC constitution and by laws, and elect a, CCOSAC representative to the state legislature. Because of a budget carry over from last year, the membership costs for each col lege was dropped down to PRINT: Would you like to have a chance to teach a course in Western Civilization? URIS: Yes, but in order to do that, I would have to prepare for many months. I wouldn’t mind doing it, though. PRINT: Any way you’d approach it differently than the way it’s currently being approached? URIS: I took a course of Western Civilization at Reed College and the course was seven hours a week (Three lectures and four conferences). The reading was incredibly intensive. We began by writing 500-700 page papers a week, then 1,500-word papers once every two weeks, ft was a very powerful experience. If I were to redesign a curriculum, I would try some of that material. PRINT: I remember flipping through the 1980 voter’s pamphlet and I noticed that Ronald Reagan had the least amount of college educa tion. A fellow journalist told me that just because you have a college education doesn’t mean that you know doodly squat. URIS: I agree with your friend. To evaluate peo ple on the tjasi? of their formal education is silly. Fve known sofne Ph.D.’s who were absolute clowns, and Fve known some really brilliant peo ple who*ve never had a formal education. But, people who read a lot and comprehend what they’re reading are worthy of being paid atten tion to on some level. PRINT: How tough are your courses grade wise? URIS: Well, it’s pretty easy to get a C from me, but I don’t give a lot of A’s. PRINT: The G.P.A. at the college is 3.1. Why? URIS: A lot of the students are getting B’s. ft’s either that or students áre taking a lot of easy courses. I don’t think grades should be used to punish students. Teachers have a gate-keeper function, but it isn’t important in the first two years. We, as teachers, have more power to punish students than reward. That’s why I wanted an honor’s college, where students can really earn a grade by working hard. first meeting $63.53 from $263.53. The money is divided into two sec tions: “housekeeping” (opera tion costs of CCOSAC) and- decision-making, traveling and accommodation expenses. The total CCOSAC budget of $1,870 for housekeeping and $1,816 for operations is divid ed equally among the 13 member colleges. The major goals of each school were discussed at the meeting. CCC’s main goal is to facilitate better student involve ment on campus. T encourage people to at tend 'ASG meetings”, ASG President Sam Crosby said, T ask that if people come with a problem, they have a reasonable solution for it.” The ASG meets every Thursday at noon. CCOSAC hires a lobbiest, paid out óf college funds, to take ideas to the state legislators. Any money granted from the state government is alotted for different programs on the community college cam puses. *’,<.• page 3