LISA BROOKS
Staff Writer
Every semester, the University Academic Council meets twice to discuss possibilities for the new course catalogue. This semester, 10 new classes are being offered at Seaver College.
New classes this Spring range in subject from behavior genetics, C.S. Lewis and leadership theory. The variety of these new classes shows the grand spectrum of interests students at Seaver College wish to pursue academically.
Michael Folkerts, a psychology professor who is leading a new class called Behavior Genetics, said the process for adding a new class is driven by division and department needs, interest and a place in the curriculum.
Of the 16 students enrolled in the Behavior Genetics class, most are psychology majors. Students must complete introduction to psychology to be admitted to the class, which fulfills the biological principles requirement of the major.
Mariam Baim, a junior psychology major, said the class is interesting and challenging.
“Folkerts is an amazing teacher, and he is really good at explaining the concepts,” Baim said.
Another class this semester is Stretch and Strengthening with Scripture, PE 592. The class was offered for free to faculty and students last semester as a trial and was added to the list of PE classes for the spring semester. Stretch and Strengthening with Scripture is taught by Kathryn Linehan, who is the creator of FORM, (Faith Ordered Rotational Movement).
The 1-unit class combines physical, mental and spiritual exercise with emphasis on the principles of breathing, stretching and core strengthening.
Also, the Religion Division is offering two new sections of Religion 301. A section studying C.S. Lewis and his theology has been added with another focusing on the theologians Karl Barth and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
“The class seems very reading intensive, but I love his works and I’m glad that I get to read them,” sophomore Kapua Kahana said about her C.S. Lewis class.
The Social Science Division is offering several new classes, including a class on the Formulation of the U.S. Defense Policy.
“Dr. Glass has a lot of connections in Washington, which is good for anyone interested in interning or working there,” said Susan Wooten, a junior psychology and political studies double major. “The only thing that is difficult is that the class is four hours long.”
The Social Science Division is also offering a class titled Human Sexuality. The class is taught by Claudia Avina, and deals with the topic from a psychological perspective.
“People think it’s just about the topic of sex.” Avina said. “But it’s connected to reproduction, fertility, HIV/AIDS, sexual abuse and sexual assault.”
There are 32 students enrolled in this class, most of them psychology majors. Avina said the class would, ideally, be smaller in order to better facilitate discussion that the topic invites. The class uses a textbook on human sexuality and also reads a novel called “Lucky” by Alice Sebold, which details a young woman’s experience with sexual assault.
Each possible class must go through a process supervised by the Seaver Academic Council, which is made up of the chairs of the eight divisions and faculty representatives. If approved by this council, the class will then go to the University Academic Council, which meets twice a semester. If approved by the University Academic Council, the class will go into the catalog the following year.
Classes with the number 592 are called pilot courses, going through a sort of a test run. “The class is taught for two semesters, and if enough interest is shown it will be in the catalogue for the next year,” said Rick Mars, Dean of Seaver College.
01-19-2006