The Aquinas 1989-03-08

              UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON
Serving'the
University and
the community
since 1931
Vol. 61, No 19
as
the.
aUI
March 8, 1989
• ' • _ ~ t • ," , • '.' ~, ,,- Co / •.' - '. • _ •
Professors resign, lose faith in curriculum committee
uncertain.
"It would be wise to set aside
LSFS for a moment until the air
clears. Myconcern is to have the
subcommittee do the best thing ,
for Curriculum 90 and
recommend that Curriculum 90
go on without LSFS," Beidler
said.
Stephen Whittaker, professor
ofEnglish and former memberof
the committee proposed LSFS.
He resigned two weeks ago.
"Whittaker, Black and
Ledford-Miller were the driving
force behind the concept of
LSFS," Beidler said.
serious, but there is not an elitist
feeling among them," said
Christie Shinn, program
coordinator of residential
colleges at Bucknell University.
Willis M. Conover, of the
history/politi"cal scienc~
department, will be the live-in
Master of Gavigan College,
responsible for making sure the
students and the faculty achieve
a lively interaction.
"We're not looking for a
fraternity type atmosphere here
at the U," said Morton, "we'd
like the Gavigan idea to branch
out to the entire campus but it
takes time, organization, and lots
of interest. ' ,
Gavigan Hall will be
equipped ,with a multi-purpose
room, a computerroom, lounges
on each floor, and an office for
the master.
Officials are also planning a
kitchenette area, recreational
space, and a reading room
Applications for Gavigan will
be made available next week.
, WERlrMQYlN'lN "
,.:qne::way to cause friction. '
with :your roomate -- invite
the.' garigfrom home Ie} stay in
; your'diirmjohl weekend.
,--:-See features pg. 4, '
',: ':A-KE':A PEEK' ~... '" ... '
•'Curriculum refonn needs
the' support of the faculty at
large. The faculty at large is not
cognizant of what's going on in
the committee," Ledford-Miller
said.
Curriculum 90 will continue
to function.
"As of now the committee
has not fallen apart. As leader of
the committee I hav,e tried to be
neutral. It has been difficult to
chair such a diverse committee. 1
realize I've made- mistakes,"
Carlson said.
The future of the Liberal
Studies Foundation sequence is
discussions, common meals,
film/video viewing, athletic
contests, and governance/
planning meetings.
These activities will be open
'to all 'students. . . -
Some University officials
have visited schools with
residential colleges to obtain
facts ~d ideas which could be
applied to Gavigan.
"We integrate academics
into residential college life,".
saidLisaPeterson, assistant dean
of students for residential life at
Fordham UniversitY.
, ,As activities, the college
sponsors· weekly trips to
.symphonies; operas, and plays
that only cost the residents a few
dollars each, explained Peterson.
Bucknell University has three
residential .colleges. They
operate according to a
Renaissance, 'environmental, ~r
international theme. '
At Bucknell University,
residential college students are
viewed as "more academically
Ledford-Miller thinks the
proposed curriculum would
compromise her principles.
"Iunderstand thatcurriculum
reform is a political process
where compromise is necessary.
The committee was over
politicized from the start. I feel
my commitment is not worth the
time and energy expe~ded to
produce minimal outcome,"
Ledford-Miller'said.
".In such a political process,
there is a possibility of
compromise that wouldn't
compromise principles,"
Carlson said.
John Beideler, chairperson of
the Liberal Studies Foundation
Sequence subcommittee" and
Ledford-Miller agree 'that the
faculty must play the leading
role in the development of a new
curriculum.
"Curriculum reform must
'come from faculty and be led by
faculty," Beidler said. '
Residential college plan' affirmed
BY STEVE SURIANI
Aquinas News Staff
Members of the committee
,on Residential College met
Tuesday night and' aff'rrmed
their commitmeriC to 'develop
Gavigan Hall as a residential
college.
In a residential college
students and. faculty can share
experiences, ,have open
communication, and friendship.
It is a link between academics
and the social world.
."It made sense that .'yve
continue with the project
since...it is a new residential
hall, we have a natural
opportunity to develop this type
of program," said Larry
Morton, dean of students.
The committee's next task is
to develop an actual residential
college program foi Gavigan
Hall.
Living in' Gavigan College
will involve such experiences as
debates, lectures, social
gatherings, ',informal
anticipated 'progress despite the
current setbacks.
"Curriculum 90 has been
slowed down. Ies' like an
automobile that has brokendown
and can be fixed, not a train that
hasbeenderailed," Carlson said.
Ledford-Miller Said that the
curriculum that would likely
come out' ,of Curriculum 90
would not match her standards.
"I wanted some substantive
change. I was looking for a true
commitment to the liberal
studies foundation sequence; a
true commitment to the idea of
an oversight ,committee to stand
and judge the general, education
curriCulum," Ledford-Miller
said.
Black questions the
credibility of the new
curriculum.
"1 care a great deal about the
future of this University, but I do
not believe a' concre.te
curriculum model will emerge
from this committee; and even if
a model did emerge, the
University would, after the fuss
of· recent weeks, quite rightly
treat the model with a
,measurable and debilitating
suspicion,",Black added.
BY,MARIA FERRANTE
Aquinas News Editor'
Linda Ledford-Miller,
, professor of foreign language
and David Black, professor of
phil¢sophy, resigned from the
Curriculum'90Committeeas of
March 1. Both were members of
the 'newly formed Liberal
Studies Foundation Sequence
sub-committee.
••After much soul-searching
I have come to the conclusion
that my continued serviCe ori
the committee is not in the best
interest of the students, the
University or the possibility of
curriculum reform at this
time," Ledford-Miller wrote as
part of her letter ofresignation.
"I do not mean to tum my
back on the many students al1d
faculty whose views I represent
1simply believe that the time is
not right for Curriculum reform
and that curriculum 90 has, for
many reasons, lost its
credibility," Black said.
When asked about the future
of the committee John W.
Carlson, Dean of the College of
Arts and' Sciences and
chairperson ofthe Curriculum 90
'Committee, paints a picture of .
.':~ ~~ i_·