IDSC 151, Athens to New York
General Agreement for Teaching Faculty

  1. The title of course is Athens to New York. It is the first course in the two-course, "Interdisciplinary Core" sequence entitled Understanding Humanity. The second-year course is IDSC 252, Society, Ethics, and Technology.
  2. Every section of the course gives serious attention to each of the following questions:

    3. A.  What does it mean to be human?

    B.  What does it mean to be a member of a community?

    C.   What does it mean to be moral, ethical, or just?

    D.  How do individuals and communities respond to differences of
            race, class, gender, ethnicity, etc.?

  3. Individual professors are responsible for developing a syllabus around their own sub-topic or area of interest. Every section has clear themes and goals. A copy of each syllabus should be provided to Ralph Edelbach, Coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Core. A sub-committee of GEAC is empowered to certify that syllabi for all sections of IDSC 151 are consistent with the spirit of this document.
  4. The course consists of a minimum of four units including Athens during the classical period and contemporary New York.
  5. Although the "place and time" of a unit is generally a city during a short span of years, such tight compression is not necessary. The "place" may be a much larger area having thematic unity, such as Mexico in the 16th century. The "time" includes whatever historical background section leaders deem necessary.
  6. Common readings for Athens include Sophocles' Antigone and Plato's Apology and Crito. These common texts are required readings for students in every section and are integrated into the course by each faculty member. In addition, a set of resources on ethics will be developed by members of the teaching faculty to be made available in a variety of formats.
  7. Each section includes a major work dealing with the ethnic experience in New York, including that of African-Americans.
  8. Each section includes significant attention to at least one African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American, or Native American society. Every section of the course also includes significant attention to issues of human diversity, which for purposes of this course are understood to include categories of race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexual orientation, and religion.
  9. The readings for each section are drawn primarily from the humanities; particularly from history, literature, philosophy, religion, and the history and criticism of the fine and performing arts. Every section gives significant attention to these areas.
  10. Every section of the course has a final examination and at least two required papers (at least one of which requires library research). Evaluation of all papers is based in part on the quality of the writing. Every section also has a graded assignment (test, paper, or other) that is to be returned to students on or before the middle of the course.
  11. As part of the First-Year Experience, all entering Freshmen are required to complete a service learning project coordinated by the Office of Service Learning. Every section leader is expected to find appropriate ways to link course content with service learning experiences. Students generally will be asked to keep a journal. They may also be asked to write a paper, make an oral report, or participate in a panel discussion linking their service experiences with texts, topics, or themes from the course. Students not completing service learning assignments will receive grades of incomplete for the course.

Other related matters:
  1. Each section of IDSC 151, Athens to New York meets twice a week in 80 minute sessions. In addition, Wednesdays from 11:00 to 12:20 is kept free and scheduled for common activities, special lectures, and the like. Such sessions are expected to meet approximately five times during the semester, and may be scheduled at other times, depending on the overall needs of the program. Regularly announced presentations during the common period are required for all students, with some form of written exercise assigned for each one, e.g., essay, exit exercise, or quiz.
  2. Faculty teaching in IDSC 151 are expected to attend workshops on campus, usually scheduled during June and January, in which a sharing of ideas, readings, supplementary materials, and teaching techniques occur. Additional compensation is provided for such sessions.
  3. Meetings of IDSC 151 teaching faculty are held occasionally during the academic year for purposes of intellectual sharing and community building.
  4. Ralph Edelbach is Coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Core and is responsible for the day by day operation of IDSC 151 and IDSC 252. Bob Anderson, Director of General Education, provides assistance and support from the Provost’s Office, and gives special attention to IDSC 151. Nino Scarpati, Director of Service Learning, provides assistance and complete support in that area.

August 21, 2001