friday, novembef 13, 1987
cabrini college, radnor, pa. 19087
vol. xxxiv, no. 8
Experiencesshared by speakers by Kerry Gallagher
After Eisner and McCarthy spoke, there was a short question and answer St:d~nts, and Dr. Carter Craigie, asked questions pertaining to the media and
Jane Eisner, former Philadelphia Inquirer foreign correspondent who covered the TWA hijacking, and Lee McCarthy, former NBC foreign correspondent and present Channel 29 anchor, spoke this past Tuesday in the Widener Center Lecture Hall. The subject of the lectures was "The Media and American Foreign Policy." Eisner was applauded when introduced by moderator Dr. Jolyon Girard as the first foreign correspondent from a newspaper to be sent overseas with a husband and a baby. McCarthy, though never stationed overseas, was an NBC correspondent in Boston. He happened to be over in France with Vice-President George Bush when the hostages in the TWA hijacking were released in Lisbon. He related his experience over there at that time to the audience and gave a picture of what it was like covering news in a foreign country. Both speakers talked about censorship, hardships in finding a place to stay in a foreign country, being alone in a foreign country and the differing views of foreigners concerning international affairs. Eisner and McCarthy agreed that foreigners are more knowledgeable about· international affairs than Americans. They used as an example what effects a bomb going off in Paris would have on America and England, respectively. Most in America would not flinch. However, it would be the main topic of conversation in London and many British citizens would be very worried. One explanation of this may be the closeness of the countries in Europe. America is such a large country that Americans tend to be only concerned with what is going on in their own nation. Another idea presented was that Europeans are extremely wary of war. One guessed that this is because they have lost so much, just in this century alone, because of wars. Eisner gave insight to the foreign correspondent program at the Inquirer. Six . people are based permanently overseas. These six are stationed in London, Moscow, Nairobi, New Delhi, Manila and Cairo. There are also two placed temporarily in the Phillipines. McCarthy talked about the fine line there is in corresponding in a foreign nation. The line runs between reporting the event and becoming a participant in the event. McCarthy found fault with Walter Cronkite for invitingSadat over to America for Dr. Jo/yon Girard (center), moderates as Jane Eisner (left), and Lee McCarthy questions. (photo by Debbie Ferrar) (right), 11e1d peace talks.
action
Cur ic I by Denise Civa
Dr. Margaret McGuinness, chairperson, themes and problems from a number of religion department; Dr. Sharon Sch- academic perspectives," she said. Some ideas to achieve these goals warze, chairperson, philosophy department as well as the committee; Dr. are now being considered. For example, Jerome Zurek, chairperson, English and some new general education requirements communications department; Dr. Arthur that have been proposed for freshmen, Young, James Hedtke, Carol Serotta, involve the interdisciplinary theme. AnWilliam Kuhns and JohoHeiberger. Two other idea being examined is a senior representatives from student affairs, and seminar with a· "values/et~cs perspec· two students to be named by the Student tive" Biller said. Other ways to achieve these goals Academic Council are also involved in this include: having courses that are adecommittee. "Faculty members were elected quately challenging for incoming stuby their peers from six curriculum areas, dents, and encouraging students who fmd representing a number of departments in themselves on the same level as a class, to be exempt from that course and take someeach area," Biller said. Recently, this committeehasbeen thing more mind provoking. paying a great deal of attention to the general education requirements presently incorporated into Cabrini's curriculum. 'College courses should "Students take a bunch of courses without coherence," Zurek said. "There's provide challenge and nothing that everybody takes." . Zurek approach knowledge, mentioned that one way to .emedy this situation is to get a "common · 0re ofboo!-'..s" themes and problems for the general education requirements so from a number of acathat ultimately all Cabrini students will have gone through college having read demic perspectives.' basically the same novels and literaryworks. -Dr. Mary Ann Biller, Another issue regarding Cabrini's general educationrequirements academic dean is thatthey seem too much like high school courses especially regarding their titles.
Having a good education is essential to students. It is a key element in their lives and their futures. Cabrini College is dedicated to this fundamental belief. To enhance and build on this idea, about five years ago a curriculum committee was begun. Two years ago this committee was formally voted in as a part ·of Cabrini's committee system. The whole reason for the existence of the committee is the discontentment of some students and faculty members with the current curriculum and general education requirements which have not been changed for many years. Dr. Mary Ann Biller, academic dean and curriculum committee member, commented on the functions of this increasingly important council. "It's functions are to review, evaluate, and make recommendations to the faculty and administration on the entire curriculum in light of the college's statement on the qualities of the liberally educated person, educational research, and studies or analysis of Cabrini stude11ts or external trends," she said. Biller also added that the committee is trying to spur on interdisciplinary interests and expand on the current curriculum incorporating new fields of interest. Other members of the Cabrini "College cm.rses should provide faculty involved in this committee include challenge and approach knowledge,
inside perspectives 2-3 news ............ 4-6 features ....... 7-9 sports ...... 10-12
After years of planning and de bat-
Person of the week: "Goodie" (page 9)
ing, Sister Eileen Currie M.S.C., president, has asked this committee to develop a preliminary plan on the curriculum to be presented to all the full .Lime faculty members in the spring. She says the reason this is being done is so that faculty members might get funding to allow them to have some free time to work on developing the new courses and requirements. "In speaking with individual faculty members in both annual conferences and informally, I know the majority have expressed the need for a change," Biller said. "There's always room for improvement." Karen Holcombe, junior, said. "Some courses I have are stagnant and other course_sjust go over basic material." Eventually, all aspects of the ideas the curriculum committee · has covered will have to be debated and passed by the faculty as a whole in order to go into effect. "It •isalways stimulating to create something new, but it is also serious work to try to provide students with an education which will challenge and develop their minds, their values and the concern about issues greater than themselves," Biller said. "It is important to provide them (the students) with the best the world thinkers have offered to develop their own philosophies ·on life, people, values and societal issues," Biller said.
Cross countryteam wins ESAC (page 11)