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Volume LXV, No. 10
IDS 401
Capstone lacks commitment
By Barbara Phillips
The IDS 401 program is
suffering from staffing prob
lems, energy problems, time
problems, and attitudinal prob
lems.
Jim McNab, chairman of the
IDS 401 committee, says that
the program has run out of
steam. It was created with a
flourish, and with good ration
ale to support it, but it is now at
the point that it needs a strong
recommitment, or it should be
scrapped altogether.
McNab fully supports the
rationale for the program. He
sees it as a reaffirmation for the
students that Guilford is a
liberal arts college, reminding
them that there are other disci
plines than their own, and
giving them a chance to work in
depth outside their own major.
According to McNab, IDS
courses are unique in that they
are interdisciplinary, they are
designed to encourage active
interaction among students,
and they provide a variety not
found in ordinary courses They
are team taught, or draw on
guest lecturers and diverse
media.
His criticisms of the program
as it now exists are two-fold
First of all, IDS 401 seems to
relate in no clear way to IDS
101, except in name. While he
doesn't want to force the pro
gram into a strait-jacket, he
would like to see a greater
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see center spread for campus reactions.
Guilford College students were surprised by the Klan-Nazi trial outcome
Students and faculty reacted by joining demonstrations in front of the
courthouse and by participating in vigils and meetings last week.
coherence between the otter- faculty members who have good
ings, maybe even centering ideas, they rarely come to
them on a common theme. fruition in actual 401 courses.
Secondly, there is no rational "IDS courses have a lower
staffing plan Courses are soli- priority Departmental courses
cited from faculty members, come ahead of them, and then
"The IDS 401 program ••• needs
a strong recommitment, or it
should be scrapped altogether."
- Jim McNab
leaving strictly to chance who
will respond, or even whether
enough faculty will respond. In
addition, many faculty mem
bers who would like to teach an
IDS course are already com
mitted to a teaching load within
their own departments and
don't have the time or energy to
teach an additional course.
Elwood Parker was chairman
of the committee that set upthe
401 program in 1975-76. It was
seen as a "capstone" exper
ience, and the requirement took
the place of what used to be the
culminating experience, a two
semester philosophy course
Parker also sees a number of
problems with the program as it
exists. "I have a feeling that a
large number of students see it
as just another hurdle," he
says, pointing out that a class is
not likely to go well under those
circumstances.
Parker's biggest frustration is
that while he sees tremendous
imagination on the part of
Guilford College, Greensboro, N.C. 27410
there are research projects and
committee responsibilities.
Even with a good idea it's hard
to find the time."
One great missed opportuni
ty, as Parker sees it, is the
failure of more faculty members
to team-teach courses, for their
own sakes, as well as for the
sake of a better course. Two
perspectives make for a more
exciting course. The teachers
learn new material and teachng
techniques, and they also get a
critique of their own teaching
style. In addition, working with
another person can inspire a
faculty member to find the time
and to do a good job with the
course.
One of Parker's as yet un
realized dreams is to set up a
year-long honor section IDS
course at the senior level. He
would like to get a dozen
interested students and three
faculty members from various
disciplines to select a problem
that can be approached from
different disciplines, and set out
to write a book. "This kind of
close work with students can be
the most rewarding experience
a teacher has," says Parker He
already has two or three pos
sible topics to pursue.
Jackie Ludel, who was chair
man of the committee for sev
eral years before McNab, cites
the same staffing problems,
scheduling binds, and lack of
time to devote to IDS courses
SIO,OOO m
lost . . or?
SIO,OOO is missing from the Community Senate's
Student Activities Fee account. The SIO,OOO has been
committed to WQFS to help finance their upcoming
increase in power from 10 to 1919 watts. According to Jan
Earl, Senate president, the fact that the funds are missing
"will have absolutely no effect on WQFS". She stresses
that the Senate will stand by its commitment, drawing on
other accounts if necessary.
It appears that the SIO,OOO has either been lost in the
books, or possible never existed. The confusion stems
from the transition the Business Office is undergoing from
a manual to a computerized system of accounting Due to
this complication, there was no accurate way of
determining exactly how much money had been left in the
SAF account from the previous year
It was estimated at that time that there was a large
reserve of $16,000, out of which SIO,OOO was set aside.
This year, however, the Business Office records show a
much smaller reserve. Presently, all Senate records are
being checked for any possible errors, but to date, none
has been found
November 25, 1980
Ludel also put out a general
call to faculty for ideas for IDS
courses last year, and every
proposal submitted was used.
There are seven being currently
taught. "The ideal situation
would be to be swamped with
proposals so we could choose,"
says Ludel As the situation now
stands, it is not necessary to
look for particular criteria in the
proposed courses, as all pro
posed courses are needed.