The Daily Bulletin Archive

As the 2006–2008 academic theme, “Great Minds That Shaped Our Intellectual World,” comes to a close, a new theme is set to begin. Recently approved by the Academic Council, “Inconvenient Truths” now needs the involvement of faculty and staff.

“The academic theme describes our curricula and the content of our courses. The truths that are fundamental in every course, program, and major are, at some time and place, inconvenient,” said Douglas Koritz, assistant dean of intellectual foundations. “Even scientific theories like evolution, relativity, and quantum mechanics were originally inconvenient to science as a whole. But their discoveries affected great works across many disciplines.”

Buffalo State faculty and staff are asked to submitsuggestions for inconvenient truths and related guest lectures. Funding is available for an upcoming Intellectual Foundations speaker series, as well as other events relating to BSC 101 and Intellectual Foundations classes.

In planning for the new theme, University College and Academic and Student Affairs pooled ideas from first-year-program instructors, asked academic chairs to choose between the top two, and presented the proposed theme to the Academic Council. Examples of inconvenient truths include race- and gender-related inequalities, climate change, and underreported effects of war.

Koritz said he hopes faculty and staff can share ideas of inconvenient truths that already emanate from their classes rather than change what they currently teach. He also trusts their judgment for proposals of speakers who would be of value to the campus community.

“Tell us what fundamental truths students will experience in your teaching,” he said. “We also want to publicize ongoing academic activities that would complement the theme, so please let us know.”

In place of a CD that accompanied the last two academic themes, a Web site will list the inconvenient truths, related academic events, and links to resources available on campus for additional learning. A brochure that publicizes the topics and related campus events should be available this fall. In addition, this summer’s orientation sessions may incorporate the theme, and anANGEL Web site also will post information and relevant teaching materials.

The 2008–2010 academic theme is the third of its kind. The first theme in 2004–2006 was “20th-Century Americans Who Changed Our Minds and Our Lives.”

“We got the ball rolling with the last two themes,” said Koritz. “I think this next one will improve on what we’ve done.”