Re: [Phys-l] Premed Requirements Commentary

[Bernard Cleyet <bernardcleyet@redshift.com>]

It will be interesting to note if the closures in the UK results in a 
deterioration in their place in Science and Engineering as measured by 
prizes, patents, economic vigour, etc. 

bc, who learned from a Keele emeritus that Physics was not closed 
(Guardian report), but combined w/ Chem.

jbellina wrote:

> You point is well taken, this process has already begun in the UK.
>
>
> Joseph J. Bellina, Jr. Ph.D.
> Professor of Physics
> Saint Mary's College
> Notre Dame, IN 46556
>
> On Sep 19, 2006, at 11:07 AM, Stefan Jeglinski wrote:
>
>  
>
> > > I recommend we defend the appropriateness of our
> > > courses.  We should not tacitly let them do away with these
> > > requirements, and we certainly should not agree with them that we are
> > > doing a lousy job of teaching.
> > >      
> > I am in neither the teaching nor the medical profession. One
> >
> >    
cut

> > Add to this the current [premed] controversy, and today's environment
> > of administrators looking for profit centers in every corner, it
> > occurs to me that there is a further but unstated real danger to
> > doing away with courses such as physics or calculus: that without a
> > supporting role, some universities/colleges will find reason to
> > eliminate entire departments. Their solution would be to tell
> > students if they want to study physics, no problem, simply go to the
> > dwindling few campuses where it is still taught. Perhaps there is
> > pressure of this nature anyway, but taking this idea (eliminating the
> > premed physics requirements for example) to the next level could
> > bring an avalanche of departmental closures. And how many
> > administrators would be just fine and dandy with this?
> >
> > How far down this slippery slope is the teaching of physics right
> > now? It does seems trivial to come up with reasons to defend the
> > appropriateness of physics courses, but is physics teaching
> > approaching a major (evolutionary?) shift that it can influence only
> > weakly?
> >
> > Some might see my point as hand-wringing, but I'm not so sure. I'm
> > watching a slightly modified version of this being played out at my
> > undergrad alma mater, but the physics dept there commands respect and
> > has clout, at least for now. That the conversation is even being had,
> > though, strikes me as a chink in the armor.
> >
> >
> > Stefan Jeglinski
> >    
>