IDC courses helping students or unnecessary?
Adrienne Todd
Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: Entertainment
By Adrienne Todd
What is one thing that everyone shares in common at Bellarmine University? Academically speaking, it's the IDC program. Dr. Adam Renner, head of the program for two years, cites the program as a cross-disciplinary approach to developing skills and enhancing the moral and ethical standards of students with the foundation of Catholic social teaching. The program hopes to achieve this primarily by teaching students to think critically. But does the program work? Furthermore, is the program even needed?
In order to determine if the program works, one must first acknowledge how it is "graded," so to speak. Three and a half years ago, there was a complete evaluation of the Interdisciplinary Core program. It stated that each level must complete thesis-based essays as well as specified rubrics for the essays. This was the first step in revitalizing the program, which began around ten years ago. Also, by reviewing the syllabi from each professor, the heads of each level are well aware of what the professors are doing and how their assignments help achieve the program's goals. Furthermore, when hiring new professors, or if a professor chooses to add another IDC class, Dr. Renner will check their area of expertise and how that expertise relates to the material being taught. Not that all professors must have multiple degrees. Dr. Renner pointed out that some professors that wish to teach a class with other perspectives, in conjunction with their own, will be referred to a professor in that academic field so that they can have a more complete understanding of that perspective of the material.
Most of the professors in the program are adjunct faculty. Adjunct faculty are often stigmatized as being difficult to contact, being less available to students, and caring less about the class. In most cases, this simply is not true. With over 50% percent of the IDC professors being adjunct, it is vital that quality is maintained. Dr. Renner also noted that more adjunct faculty and less tenured faculty is a nation-wide trend. Perhaps a university can only offer a professor so many hours, a few classes here and there. This makes it necessary to work at multiple universities. But what if quality begins to decline? What can the student do and what measures are taken?
What is one thing that everyone shares in common at Bellarmine University? Academically speaking, it's the IDC program. Dr. Adam Renner, head of the program for two years, cites the program as a cross-disciplinary approach to developing skills and enhancing the moral and ethical standards of students with the foundation of Catholic social teaching. The program hopes to achieve this primarily by teaching students to think critically. But does the program work? Furthermore, is the program even needed?
In order to determine if the program works, one must first acknowledge how it is "graded," so to speak. Three and a half years ago, there was a complete evaluation of the Interdisciplinary Core program. It stated that each level must complete thesis-based essays as well as specified rubrics for the essays. This was the first step in revitalizing the program, which began around ten years ago. Also, by reviewing the syllabi from each professor, the heads of each level are well aware of what the professors are doing and how their assignments help achieve the program's goals. Furthermore, when hiring new professors, or if a professor chooses to add another IDC class, Dr. Renner will check their area of expertise and how that expertise relates to the material being taught. Not that all professors must have multiple degrees. Dr. Renner pointed out that some professors that wish to teach a class with other perspectives, in conjunction with their own, will be referred to a professor in that academic field so that they can have a more complete understanding of that perspective of the material.
Most of the professors in the program are adjunct faculty. Adjunct faculty are often stigmatized as being difficult to contact, being less available to students, and caring less about the class. In most cases, this simply is not true. With over 50% percent of the IDC professors being adjunct, it is vital that quality is maintained. Dr. Renner also noted that more adjunct faculty and less tenured faculty is a nation-wide trend. Perhaps a university can only offer a professor so many hours, a few classes here and there. This makes it necessary to work at multiple universities. But what if quality begins to decline? What can the student do and what measures are taken?
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