Faculty Members Oppose Uniting Gen Ed and Department Courses

Faculty opinion remained generally opposed to suggestions this week that certain General Education courses could unite with the basic courses in corresponding departments.

The question arose from a statement by George Wald, professor of Biology and head of Natural Sciences 5, who contends that the "interplay between General Education students and concentrators adds greatly" to his course. Natural Sciences 5 serves as both a general education course and the basic course in the Biology Department.

John H. Finley Jr. '25, chairman of the Faculty Committee on General Education, denied that it is normally beneficial to combine General Education and departmental courses. Like other Faculty members, Finley felt that Wald's integration of concentrators and General Education students is exceptional.

"Bully for George Wald," said Gerald Holton, professor of Physics, but pointed out that there are too many difficulties to attempt combining Physics 1 with Natural Sciences 2. Holton, who heads Physics 1, said it was "physically inconceivable" to take any such action.

Morton G. White, professor of Philosophy and Head of Humanities 5, noted that though uniting his course and Philosophy 1 would make both easier to staff, he could see no "positive need" beyond this. Both the courses, he said, serve different purposes.

"Philosophy 1 concentrates on the more technical aspects of the subject," White remarked, while a General Education course such as Humanities 5 is free to cover a broader area since it "does not have the specific task of preparing students for upper level courses."

One Merger Considered

At least two courses, however, are presently being considered for a merger. According to William Liller, head of the Department of Astronomy, arrangements to unite Astronomy 1 and Natural Sciences 9 are now being considered.

Morton S. Roberts, Lecturer on General Education and head of Natural Sciences 9, however, is opposed to such a union. The material covered in his course, he said, is normally part of the background of Astronomy concentrators, while Astronomy 1 is "too quantitative for General Education students."