Speaking
Out
Academic
Mission vs. Fall Break | Concerned About
Impending War
Academic
Mission vs. Fall Break
I
read with some amusement Professor Korshin's plaintive protest
that the one day Fall Break was "virtually meaningless" because
it was on a Friday, "a day when there are almost no classes
at Penn anyway." To the extent that he is correct on the
facts, it seems that most students and faculty have "Fall
Break" every weekend from Friday through Sunday--more
than a dozen in the semester. Perhaps the University should
schedule a full complement of classes on Friday so the one
day Fall Break would
be meaningful.
My
amusement, however, was dampened by a troublesome reminder
that the University is purporting to carry out a serious academic
mission on a four day academic week. I assume that many faculty
and most students are little concerned so long as there is
a salary check for the faculty member at the end of each month
and a diploma for the student at the end of four years.
The
one thing that the University can offer that a correspondence
school can not is the contact and interaction between faculty
members and students
--a version of Mark Hopkins at one end of the log and a student on the
other end. But there seems to be a desire on the part of too many faculty
members and too many students, abetted by the administration, to minimize
that educational process. Should not Professor Korshin and all of us be
more concerned about this dilution of the educational mission?
I
have never been persuaded of the need or educational validity
of Fall Break for students or faculty, that they needed a "brief
respite between Labor Day and Thanksgiving." Most of the
rest of the world works five or six days a week, 50 weeks a
year. College graduates, particularly in the professions, commonly
work even more hours, often with less vacation. Are students
too young to begin learning to bear the burdens of adulthood?
--Clyde W. Summers, Professor of Law
Concerned
About Impending War
Calling
all faculty and staff who are concerned about the impending
war with Iraq and the Bush administration's announced positions
on the U.S. role in world affairs.
Please
join a meeting on Wednesday, November 6, at 4:30 p.m. in the
Penniman Library of Bennett Hall, 34th & Walnut Sts. to
help us generate various options for Penn faculty and staff
on how best to respond to these concerns.
--Larry Gross, Annenberg School
--Walter Licht, History
--Richard Shell, Wharton School
--Rogers Smith, Political Science
--Jeremy Brochin, Hillel
--Beverly Dale, Christian Association
--David Grossman, Civic House
--Sue Harte, Newman Center
--Heather Kilmer, Civic House
Almanac, Vol. 49, No. 11, November 5, 2002
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