C L A S S A C T
To give you a taste of the challenging and interesting
courses that Albright faculty and students
are engaged in today, our new feature, “Class Act”
highlights an Albright course from time to time.
IDS 100 Uncertainty and the Creation of Knowledge
Professors: Christian Hamann, Ph.D., chemistry& biochemistry; Fouad Kalouche, Ph.D., philosophy;
Jennifer Koosed, Ph.D., religious studies; and
Gerald Ronning, Ph.D., history
“Uncertainty and the Creation of Knowledge” presents
several disciplinary approaches to the topic
of uncertainty and its role in creating, maintaining,
and challenging systems of knowledge. The
class addresses uncertainty as a dynamic element
that destabilizes the comforts accorded by certain,
circumscribed, defined, and determinate truths,
and that is instrumental to the construction of reality
as approached by religion, philosophy, history
and science.
INTERDISCIPLINARY FOCUS
“Two aspects that make this course unique are the
breadth of the reading assignments that reflect
the four disciplines represented by the instructors,
and the interdisciplinary exchanges during which
the faculty argue topics selected from the readings
amongst themselves and with the class.”
- Christian S. Hamann, Ph.D.
WHAT STUDENTS SAY
Daniel Pierce ’09, a computer science major,
said, “Even though it was an early class, it was
still fun to wake up for because the topics were
interesting; they were about things I never really
thought about before.”
John Ferrara ’09, a corporate communications
major, feels that the class helped to hone his critical
thinking skills. “The course was challenging in
the sense that it encouraged students to think for
themselves by presenting aspects of four fields,
and letting them decide which is true. The fields
all debate each other. They offer students insight
on their own interests by presenting more than one
viewpoint.”
READING LIST
James Gleick, Isaac Newton; Richard C. Lewontin,
Biology as Ideology: The Doctrine of DNA; Carlo
Ginzburg, The Cheese and the Worms: The Cosmos of
a Sixteenth-Century Miller; Linda S. Schearing, Valarie
H. Ziegler, Kristen E. Kyam, eds. Eve and Adam: Jewish,
Christian, and Muslim Readings on Genesis and Gender,
in addition to many articles and handouts. |
President McMillan and
Associate Professor Lisa
Wilder, a graduate of
Virginia Tech, lead a
moment of silence in the
Caf at lunchtime. Text Messaging System Improves Communication
In a campus emergency, Albright will now be able to send an instant text message to the cell phones
of students, staff and faculty. As students return for the fall semester, they will be asked to provide
current cell phone information for the emergency notification system. An emergency notification
system for parents is also in the works.
According to Robert Gerken, director of public safety, the Virginia Tech tragedy last spring
demonstrated the challenges of communicating with students quickly. “E-mail has limitations in an
emergency,” Gerken said. “Students may be in class or in transit when an emergency occurs. Our
students told us text messaging was the best way to reach them because almost everybody carries
a cell phone.”
Gerken said that the College has an effective emergency response plan that is regularly reviewed,
and that Albright conducted a recent review to include lessons learned from the Virginia Tech tragedy.
The College also plans a full-fledged emergency simulation on campus in September. |
Alumna Addresses Scholarship Luncheon
 Julianne (Brown) Borst ’01 addressed both donors and current students at the annual Scholarship
Luncheon in April, held to honor donors who have created scholarships at Albright and to give donors
a chance to meet the students who benefit from their scholarships.
In Borst’s address she said she chose Albright for three reasons — community, opportunity and
scholarship.
The textiles and design major, who now works as an associate product manager in decorative housewares
for Macy’s merchandising group division, experienced all three during her time at Albright. She
told luncheon attendees, “I am extremely grateful for the start that Albright College gave me. I give
annually to Albright College so that the opportunities and experiences I enjoyed will continue for current
students and future students.” |
