AWA R D-W INNING CENTR A LR ECOR DER .COM Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Consolidation May Be Coming For Academic Programs
Central Connecticut State University
Is War With Iran Inevitable?
JuSTin MuSzynSki The recorder
Various low enrollment programs at CCSU show concern that consolidation will occur amongst the four CSU schools. Smaller programs at public universities in general tend to have anxiety about their number of majors. Jason Jones, President of the CCSU chapter of the American Association of University Professors, says these fears tend to escalate when a re-organization is in process, as it is now within the state. “[The Board of Regents] has consistently said one of the benefits of consolidation would be identifying efficiencies within the system,” said Jones. “They usually seem to mean that those are administrative efficiencies, but sometimes it sounds as though they mean we should not have lots of small programs.” Carl Lovitt, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, says CCSU isn’t considering eliminating any programs despite some graduating from very few majors per year. “It’s a time of change and a time of uncertainty and I think small programs feel vulnerable. Everybody kind of fears that this new board is going to change everything,” said Lovitt. Lovitt also says that no one from the board has hinted to him that some programs need to be cut. Barry Wescott, Chair of the Chemisty Department, says that physics as well as his department have both been concerned about this issue because of words that were exchanged with the administration. “We’ve had administrators, the Dean of Arts and Sciences and the Provost, express concern about our enrollment and questioned if these are programs that should be at CCSU because of the low enrollments that we had,” said Wescott. “I think that there were some conversations between department chairs in small programs with their dean that were misinterpreted,” said Lovitt. “They were afraid programs were going to be eliminated.” Lovitt added that since those conversations, he has been working to reassure faculty that a miscommunication may have occurred and that there is no cause for concern. “I know what was said to me,” said Wescott when told about Lovitt’s explanation. But he also said that the level of his uneasiness about the subject has somewhat declined due to assurances by the administration. One department that will experience some reorganization is Modern Languages. Lovitt says that CCSU will be teaming with SCSU to offer some classes through a new video conferencing format. Some courses at SCSU will offer German in a virtual classroom by a faculty member here and some CCSU French courses will be under the instruction of a SCSU professor. “It’s like being in a big large classroom that stretches from here down to New Haven,” said Lovitt. Wescott says this example worried some faculty because, from his understanding, the administration told the department that something needed to be done regarding the lack of students taking modern language classes. This led some to believe that the BOR may have had some influence. In response, Lovitt says it was initiated by various provosts from around the state and will ultimately assist CCSU in a time of economic woes. “It will allow us to keep the program but we won’t have to pay a faculty member to teach three students,” said Lovitt. He added that this will allow the university to reorganize its emergency hires to programs that may have greater needs. He also says that CCSU has managed budgetary cuts without eliminating any faculty positions or programs , and that there’s no reason to believe that it cannot continue to make do. “There are other programs that are low enrolled that we have no intention of getting rid of,” said Lovitt. “We’re trying to find ways to increase enrollments. I’m fairly optimistic about the future.”
Volume 108 No. 25
kenny barTO | THe reCOrDer
Stephen Kinzer speaks to his audience in the Marcus White Living Room. aManDa webSTer The recorder
Award-winning journalist Stephen Kinzer came to campus on Wednesday to discuss the growing animosity between the United States and Iran that seems to be leading towards the path of war. A crowd of about 45 people, made up of students and faculty, arrived to hear Kinzer’s answer to the question: “Is war with Iran inevitable?” “If there’s a decision made by the White House we can get there,” Kinzer said to the audience. “The key is to try to see the world from the Iranian perspective.” Kinzer has spent a great deal of time in Iran conducting research and has written books based on the history between Iran and the
United States. His most recent is titled Reset: Iran, Turkey, and America’s Future, in which he offers an idea for America to ally itself with Iran. He explained that Iran is America’s most logical partner but in order to come to an agreement politically, we as a country need to get there emotionally and psychologically. “The Iranian people are unbelievably proAmerican,” Kinzer said. “But we’re ready to go to war based on our ignorance.” Kinzer explained how the people of Iran are an incredibly proud group and view everything that happens with America from a historical viewpoint. The tension between the two countries has been an ongoing dilemma since the 1950s when America played a part in overthrowing Iran’s democracy and since then the country tends to see action by larger powerhouse nations as an attempt to keep the
country of Iran down. The belief that Kinzer says he holds is that it is imperative for Iran to get out of isolation with its surrounding countries in order to work towards a solution. Without the participation of other countries in the region, there is little hope for a resolution. Kinzer deems that the lack of willingness to compromise from both parties is what is keeping the two countries apart. He explained that America needs to take on a different perspective and needs to try to take a step back, something our nation is not exactly known for. He shared a story with the crowd about a woman who overheard him speaking English one day while he was in Iran. When the woman found out he was from America she cried out, “We know they say terrible things about us over there but we love America!” Kinzer believes the negative images Americans cling to of Iran and how the Iranian people need to change in order for there to be a drive in Congress for a more peaceful way to come to an agreement, he said. Until that happens Kinzer says he fears the conflict will increase. “Having an enemy unifies an enemy,” explained Kinzer in regards to why it seems to be so difficult for the United States to be compliant with Iran. “It’s hard to say who you are as a nation, it’s easy to say who you are not.” The issue of potential war with Iran is going to dominate the presidential campaign, and according to Kinzer, the time period between now and November is going to be a very scary time. He emphasized the importance of universities such as CCSU that have classes and lectures based on peace talks and how young adults can become aware of what is going on in the world and get politically involved. “Our ignorance is careening us towards conflict in the area,” said Kinzer. “Make your own judgments to see what’s important and what’s not.”
Bloggers Panel Taped On Campus For WNPR
kenny barTO | THe reCOrDer
Panelists discuss blogging and how the medium has influenced the political landscape this election cycle. JareD TODD The recorder
John Dankosky, News Director at WNPR Hartford, hosted a panel discussion Wednesday titled “Funny, But True: Blogging the 2012 Election” The discussion, which covered an array of topics, from US relations with China to the pros and cons of political humor, examined why satire and wisecracks seem to be the core of the US political discourse in recent elections.
The panel took place in Vance Academic Center and was taped for a future WNPR broadcast. Blogger for WNYC’s It’s a Free Country and online columnist for the Wall Street Journal Jeff Yang said that political humor going viral is “brilliant” and that it “humanizes and democratizes” government. “The humor in politics and the political aspect of humor are really kind of converging,” said Yang, who also said he doesn’t see a lack of interest in politics
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among young people. Dankosky, the Vance Endowed Chair of Journalism and Mass Communication, raised the question of the media reporting on humorous material that has gone viral—does it have news value? “For me, as a political journalist, I’m like, ‘OK. What’s the news value of me doing another piece about…this thing a lot of people are watching?’” said Anna Sale of It’s a Free Country.
see PANEL - page 2