Concordiensis - Nov. 7, 2024 by Concordiensis

Popular Majors Face Staffing Issues

Allyson Bennett News Editor

At Union and other colleges across the country, academic departments have dealt with issues related to

ular departments, economics and psychology, have create improve-

In the psychology department, the department has historically meant that students often had to wait many terms or years to get into the courses they wanted,” Professor George Bizer, department chair of the psychology department, told the

often had to wait many terms (or, in some cases, years) to get into their

However, the college has ad-

appreciative that the College has al-

exactly when they want (as is the case in many departments at Union and at many other colleges and uni-

However, a current issue with the department is their reliance on Assistant Professors are fantastic teachers and wonderful scholars --

not enough tenured/tenure-track professors in the department,” Prothe economics department, told the

themselves making meaningful scholarly and personal connections see them leave Union for another

tional permanent faculty will help

Union is not the only institu-

all college and university instructors are part-time or temporary, more than twice the national workforce

ing to the American Federation of

In another popular department, economics, particularly faces issues with the amount of faculty in the de-

major at Union: there are more than

cess than the psychology departrequested two three-year visiting assistant professors to offer enough

mately, the department was apfour adjunct professors were hired to teach six classes,”

professors and adjunct professors are hired temporarily, they may

students to foster long-term relationtwo tenure-track assistant profes-

cause two visiting assistant professors will leave the department at the

letter previously covered their de-

million as the invested returns of the lump sum must fund the yearly costfore, it is cheaper for the college to

grappling with staff shortages, the college has made an effort to alle-dents must understand that these issues persist, and that may impact the courses they take and the professors they develop relationships

How U Can Spend Union’s Winter Break

Allyson Bennett News Editor

Unlike most colleges and universities, Union has a six week long win-

has some recommendations on how underemployed a year after gradu-

However, college level employment

those who complete an internship: the odds of underemployment for graduates who had at least one inwho had no internships, according

search for internships during winter -

career center remains open during -

out the fall term, and they continue

Work a Seasonal Job

ers during the holiday season, and

Allyson Bennett | Concordiensis

ALLYSON BENNETT, NEWS EDITOR

benneta2@union.edu

BREAK

Continued from page 1

Abroad

students can prepare to apply for these programs throughout winter the same application essay for each program, so students can write to professors and students from precan apply for a passport on the processing times for new routine

Explore your Hometown-

dents can explore their hometowns

Many Union students are from Boston or New York City, so the Concordiensis has researched some performing at Agganis Arena from of holiday cruises on the Northern First Night Boston will host their event with rides, performances, ice sculptures, and more on Boylston

In New York City, there are a variety of tourist attractions that are the Rockefeller Center Christmas

outdoor ice skating rink in central of Broadway shows will take place

Scan the QR code to go to Handshake and see the resources!

Scan the QR code to see what study abroad options there are for Fall 2025!

DOGS AT THE NOTT ON HALLOWEEN

Scan

1 2 3 4

HANDSHAKE

STUDY ABROAD

All photos by Allyson Bennett

chambias@union.edu

Thanksgiving Traditions Around U!

Unique Ways Union Students Celebrate Thanksgiving

While Thanksgiving may be considered an underrated holiday,

Thanksgiving has been celebrated across the United States for hundreds of years, offering a moment

become the United States took Wampanoag people helped save Plymouth colonists from starvation, culminating in a peaceful feast of day gave rise to an annual tradition

on the last Thursday in November to express gratitude for the past year and celebrate the promise of the

get to see some of my family, and

year, having the chance to recon-

Thanksgiving traditions vary

customs making the holiday spe-

have traditional dishes they prepare annually as part of their cele-

Morehouse, class of 2026, added,

not a traditional side dish, but it is in Other families celebrate Thanks-

Bingo may not be a typical Thanksgiving game, but for her family,

become a cherished part of their

Thanksgiving traditions, Saniya Dixsit in the living room together and Everyone celebrates Thanksgiv-

iday excitement, let us take a mo-

craving all term!

Halloweekend Craze Takes Over Union

Angelina Martinelli Contributing Writer

Olivia Murphy

White Rabbit and the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland.

for a picture dressed up as sailors. dressed up as chefs.

Ramissa Khan dressed up as Wolverine and a cow.

Can ChatGPT Think? Philosophy of the Fu ture

Editor

On Wednesday, October 30, the annual Feigenbaum Forum on Innovation and Creativity took place at the center of campus in the Nott Memorial. This year’s hosted talk, “Can ChatGPT Think?”, was a fascinating examination of AI and its implications beyond how it serves us.

The hosted speaker, renowned philosopher and cognitive scientist Dr. David Chalmers, is a University Professor of Philosophy and Neural Science at New York University, as well as Co-Director of the university’s Center for Mind, Brain, and Consciousness. He has been a speaker in the John Locke Lectures, a series of annual philosophy lectures regarded as the most presJean Nicod prize, an award given to leading philosophers.

His notable ideas include the “hard problem of consciousness”the question of how humans are able to have consciousness and subjective experiences from physical brain processes- and the idea of the “extended mind,” that the tools we use can become integrated as parts of our minds.

Dr. Chalmers presented the idea that newly developed and quickly advancing AI technology, such as

ChatGPT, may soon have the ability to think for itself. For example, some of these systems are growing close to being able to pass the Turing test, an evaluation of whether a system can respond in a way that is indistinguishable from how a human would behave. Crossing this threshold may indicate that these digital systems are capable of thought. However, this doesn’t necessarily indicate that these technologies have other parameters of thought that may be considered just as important, from concepts and reasoning, to rationality and consciousness.

predict how future advances in AI’s growth and the development of new technologies will unfold, Dr. Chalmers feels that ChatGPT and systems like it “may be well on its way” to soon reaching that point.

The event was hosted by Union’s Department of Philosophy in partnership with the Templeton Institute of Engineering and Science, a part of the broader effort known as the Union College Engineering and Computer Science Initiative. The Templeton Institute aims to integrate

engineering and computer science -

ed to serve as an “epicenter for integrative and innovative teaching and learning opportunities centered around key contemporary problems and their myriad connections to engineering, computer science, and the liberal arts.”

This talk was a facet of their curtheme. The series is supported by the Feigenbaum Forum for Innovation and Creativity, historically a gathering on campus where academics discussed how to better integrate liberal arts with other studies, and today an endeavor funded by the Feigenbaum Foundation to bring in a series of prominent speakers that have revolutionized

Union Anxiously Awaits the End of a Tense Election Cycle

Matthew Lowry Sci-Tech Editor

At the twilight of a tumultuous the mood at Union, with political chatter pervading through campus and the internet. A poll conducted platform found 83% of students supporting Kamala Harris and 17% supporting Donald Trump, a decidedly liberal tilt compared to the 57% of college students who said they would vote democratic in a nationwide poll conducted by “Inside Higher Education” in October. The Concordiensis interviewed several students and professors, asking for their perspectives on the upcoming election.

“This election has me full of uncertainty. I just want who’s best for the betterment of our future, and right now, I feel that’s been lost. Everything feels so centered around the now, and while that is a good thing, I want to know how secure my life will be in the next 5, 10, 20 years.” - Sophomore, NY

most of the people in my area are Republican, and voting for Trump, and I’m voting for Kamala. It’s very nere-wracking, and it feels hard to express my opinion sometimes, but I do realize that my vote is very important.” - Sophomore, PA

amount of time every day consuming political news, looking at the polls. I think if Trump wins, things could actually get bad. I almost can’t bring myself to contemplate it. If he loses, then I think that could really upstanding for our trajectory, because it would be a validation of the fact that his view is a minority and that his strength has been in his volume, that it really doesn’t represent the majority of the country, which I think it doesn’t. It’s beyond policy at this point. It’s really about the character.” - Social Sciences Professor

“I’m not voting, probably because it’s just a hassle to do the early voting stuff. If I was home, I probably have gone to vote. A lot of my family are voting this year, even though

they usually don’t. A lot of it is due to Israel, they kind of became single issue voters and they’re voting for Trump because they think Kamala is anti-Israel, which is strange because a lot of my family are pro-abortion rights and stuff. I’m like, come on guys, you gotta be more strategic here, but Israel is really important to them. For me, personally, it’s not like there’s a good candidate, so it’s not like I’m motivated to go and vote. So I won’t. I’m gonna leave it up to the people who are more passionate about whatever candidate. There’s a candidate I’d rather not have, probably Trump, but I don’t have faith in either one.” - Junior, NY

Kamala Harris will win the election, and I just think that it’s something that I’m very much ready to be over with, and I think the country as a whole is very much ready for the divisiveness of the Trump era to be

have some innate assurance in my head.” - Sophomore, NJ

“If it was anyone other than Trump, it’s a very different election calculus for me. I was all in for Nikki Haley. I wanted someone who was gonna be strong on foreign policy, but not an a-hole. I wanted someone who not propping up billionaires. That’s the problem with Trump. I can look at anyone, and say, I think they’re doing it for the best interests of the country. Except for him. There are things he says, policy wise, that don’t sound bad to me, but then I look at who’s saying it. Voting for Harris is the lesser of two evils for me. Even if I agreed with everything Trump stood for, I can’t vote for him. I don’t agree with a lot of what Harris wants, but Trump is anathema.” - Natural Sciences Professor

“I don’t want to vote for an idiot like Trump, but I don’t want to vote for 4 more years of this.” - Details Withheld

“I’m voting for Kamala this election, but I feel like whoever wins this election, we all lose.” - Sophomore, MA

tive contributions.

Other notable previous speakers have included Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist and author Thomas Friedman, IBM senior vice president John E. Kelly III, renowned psychologist Howard Gardner, and artist Maya Lin, designer of the Vietnam Veterans memorial and Civil Rights Memorial. In whole, this tradition offers an ongoing opportunity for students, faculty, and visitors alike to absorb new ideas and engage with the rising issues and topics of our modern world. Following the practice of a liberal arts education, this occurs not only through the lens of STEM wide variety of disciplines.

LOWRY lowrym@union.edu