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PDF versionThis fall, the English Department at Weber State University begins sponsoring a series of roundtables or conversations in which faculty from across campus discuss issues pertinent to the humanities.
At Weber State, the humanities reside in the Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities, which consists of five departments: two arts' departments (Performing and Visual) and three humanities' departments (English, Communication, and Foreign Languages). Late last year, the three humanities departments moved to Elizabeth Hall and now, for the first time in the institution's history, all three of the humanities live in one place.
As a taxpayer you have helped pay for Elizabeth Hall; the Legislature's funding speaks to your commitment to the humanities at Weber State University. Now we, as faculty in the humanities, want you know what we do, how we do it, and why we spend our lives devoted to studying what it means to be human.
For me, the humanities came upon me later in my college education; English wasn't my first choice for a major. I was raised in a family of scientists, health care providers, engineers, accountants, and insurance salesmen, with the occasional social worker and teacher thrown in.
Growing up, I found the company of animals more comforting than that of humans, so I wanted to be a veterinarian. Fortunately, early on in my biology major I observed a veterinary surgery and quickly discovered, as I tried to stay upright by holding on to the operating room wall, that I wasn't "cut out" for the blood and guts of animal care. I realized then that I'd always been good at writing and always loved to read, therefore I changed my major to English.
As I made my way through a bachelor's degree, I met a teacher who inspired me to connect seemingly disparate cultural artifacts. In a lecture on Cotton Mather, Steve Tatum drew upon his love of Bruce Springsteen to help explain the importance of the New England Puritan minister. Though I can't for the life of me remember how he managed to draw "the Boss" into this lecture, I knew then that English was the major for me.
What about the rest of us? Why do we teach in fields that don't pay very much? How do we explain the value of our profession? Where do we think the 21st century will take the humanities? Our first conversation is titled "The Future of Language," during which faculty members will discuss issues such as the psychology of language acquisition, the status of languages in secondary education, the demand for English as a second language programs, the evolution of linguistics, and the need for foreign languages in higher education.
Speakers include Aaron Ashley (Psychology), David Byrd (Teacher Education), Tim Conrad (English/LEAP), Giana Curtis (LEAP), Mark LeTourneau (English/Linguistics), and Tom Mathews (Foreign Languages). Please join us on Wednesday, November 11th, from 4-5 pm in Elizabeth Hall, Room 229. Please call 801-626-6251 or email Sally Shigley (sshigley@weber.edu) or Becky Jo McShane (bmcshane@weber.edu) if you have any questions. Upcoming topics include "The Future of the Humanities," "The Future of the Book," and "The Future of the Bricks and Mortar Classroom."
Becky Jo McShane is a professor in the English Department at Weber State University.
