Date post: | 24-Dec-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | phebe-riley |
View: | 215 times |
Download: | 2 times |
Do Mathematics and Natural Sciences Belong in The College of Liberal Arts?
Linda MaxsonUniversity of Iowa
Frank H. T. Rhodes
• “..science is an essential component of liberal education…
• science introduces us to ourselves & the world/universe we inhabit …
• science complements & enriches insights into our nature & society that the humanities provide..” 1996
THE Liberal Arts
Trivium– Language (grammar)– Rhetoric (oratory)– Dialectic (logic)
Quadrivium– Geometry– Arithmetic– Music– Astronomy
Iowa’s Eleven Colleges
CLAS*, Business*,Engineering*Education, Graduate College, LawMedicine, Public Health, Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy
* Where most undergraduates earn degrees
CLAS
• ~ 60 undergraduate degree programs• + Professional degrees – Journalism,
Social Work, Clinical certification (Psychology, Speech Pathology, Audiology, Music Therapy)• MFA in writing, theatre arts, studio
arts, performing arts
CLAS Teaching and Degrees
• Teaches over 90% of all undergraduates• Awards ~3/4 of all undergraduate
degrees• Awards ~ 1/2 of all graduate degrees
TILE Constellation Courses
• Origins of Life in the Universe
–Anthropology, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, and Geosciences
Tile Constellation Courses
• Writing, Visualizing and Performing Jazz–American Studies, Art & Art History, English,
History, Music
• The (In)visible Universe: Imaging and imagining Artscience–Art & Art History, Chemistry, Physics &
Astronomy
Tile Constellation Courses
• The Bio-Sociology of Gender– Sociology, Women’s Studies, Gender &
Sexuality Studies., Biology, and Psychology
• The Physical Body–Dance, Theatre Arts, Health & Human
Physiology, Biology, Physics& Astronomy, and Anatomy
Initiatives
• Optimal Aging
• Digital Humanities
• Digital Arts
Benefits to Faculty
• Provides more (and more diverse) colleagues• Facilitates interdisciplinary interactions• Encourages broader view of the academy• Provides interesting service opportunities• Consolidated Divisions – Permits retention of small units with tenured faculty– Allows faculty to train graduate students in their areas of
expertise
Benefits to Students
• Comprehensive advising throughout• Facilitates changing of majors; common
core• Facilitates double majors and honors• Undergraduate writing center and
certificate• Tailor-made math tutoring program• Facilitates interdisciplinary studies
Benefits to Institution
• Financially Sustainable• Attractive Leadership Opportunity as
Dean• Permits diverse curricula without
requiring costly administrative overhead• CLAS as the heart of the university
Michael S. Roth
• “The key to our success in the future will be an integrative education that doesn’t isolate the sciences from other parts of the curriculum, and that doesn’t shield the so-called creative and interpretive fields from a vigorous understanding of the problems addressed by scientists.” 2011