2008 Woodie Awards
President's Seminar focuses on election issues
Nicole Capozziello
Issue date: 1/25/08 Section: Features
For the first time since assuming office as Lawrence's president in 2004, President Jill Beck is teaching a university course. The President's Seminar, a three-credit course conducted in Mursell House, is part of her plan to achieve 100 percent voter participation at Lawrence in the upcoming Presidential election.
President Beck announced the President's Seminar course, which will also be offered spring term, during her fall convocation entitled "Educating Citizens, Supporting Students' Political Engagement and Getting out the Vote."
"I think that every college president has a responsibility to do what they can to get out the vote," said President Beck, who hopes to bring campus "from apathy to engagement." The class was also spurred by student suggestions stating the need for classes that look "outside the Lawrence bubble."
"I think the class shows a change in the climate of topics discussed at Lawrence," said senior Nathan Litt. As a government major, Litt was refreshed by the relevance of Beck's course. This course, offered leading up to the election, represents a trend towards more relevant, "real world" classes finding a place in Lawrence's curriculum.
Depending on how the course goes, President Beck may also be offering the course this fall. President Beck, who has been conducting tutorials throughout her years at Lawrence, also hopes to personally teach more classes in the future.
Litt also saw the course as the ultimate opportunity within the system of individualized education that Lawrence is known for. The class, which is also taught by President Beck's husband, Dr. Rob Beck, and Director of Research Administration Bill Skinner, is largely discussion-based. Commenting on the class dynamic, junior Kyle Griffin said, "I don't feel we're treated as students, as the class is pretty experimental."
The 12 members of the class, including two recent Lawrence alumni, initially expressed interest in the course or were first recommended by faculty members. Students' motivations for taking the class include interest in the upcoming election and, of course, the novelty of taking a class with the president.
President Beck announced the President's Seminar course, which will also be offered spring term, during her fall convocation entitled "Educating Citizens, Supporting Students' Political Engagement and Getting out the Vote."
"I think that every college president has a responsibility to do what they can to get out the vote," said President Beck, who hopes to bring campus "from apathy to engagement." The class was also spurred by student suggestions stating the need for classes that look "outside the Lawrence bubble."
"I think the class shows a change in the climate of topics discussed at Lawrence," said senior Nathan Litt. As a government major, Litt was refreshed by the relevance of Beck's course. This course, offered leading up to the election, represents a trend towards more relevant, "real world" classes finding a place in Lawrence's curriculum.
Depending on how the course goes, President Beck may also be offering the course this fall. President Beck, who has been conducting tutorials throughout her years at Lawrence, also hopes to personally teach more classes in the future.
Litt also saw the course as the ultimate opportunity within the system of individualized education that Lawrence is known for. The class, which is also taught by President Beck's husband, Dr. Rob Beck, and Director of Research Administration Bill Skinner, is largely discussion-based. Commenting on the class dynamic, junior Kyle Griffin said, "I don't feel we're treated as students, as the class is pretty experimental."
The 12 members of the class, including two recent Lawrence alumni, initially expressed interest in the course or were first recommended by faculty members. Students' motivations for taking the class include interest in the upcoming election and, of course, the novelty of taking a class with the president.
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