[Vision2020] Fixing Physics

Tom Hansen thansen at moscow.com
Tue Feb 10 07:39:24 PST 2009


Courtesy of today's (February 10, 2009) UI Argonaut and Christina Lords at:

http://www.uiargonaut.com/content/view/7404/49/
 
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Fixing Physics
By Christina Lords, UI Argonaut

The College of Science Curriculum Committee is charged with the task of 
deciding to offer support or opposition to a Notice of Intent form to 
discontinue the Bachelor of Science degree in physics. But more important 
is where the foundation supporting the decision comes from. More than 50 
people — students, faculty and staff — packed a lecture room Friday at an 
open forum to vocalize their disappointment, confusion and outrage at the 
possible loss of the physics undergraduate degree. The program is one of 
41 programs at the University of Idaho under consideration because of the 
university’s Program Prioritization Process.

Important events like the open forum are not just held as a requirement of 
procedure or an adherence to protocol — the right to respond, and more 
importantly, to be heard is a critical part of this difficult and vital 
prioritization process.

The sentiments expressed should be an integral element to the committee’s 
decision.

These reactions and rebuttals are the physics department’s backbone. The 
explanations correctly reflect why the loss of the degree program would 
truly undermine the authenticity of the College of Science and the 
university as a whole.

It is not just members of the UI physics department who believe the 
program is indeed a priority. People from across the campus community — 
including students and faculty of the College of Engineering and College 
of Education — and members of the science community across the state have 
spoken out against the degree cuts. 

It would be wrong for the curriculum committee, the administration and the 
Idaho State Board of Education, which ultimately gets the final say on the 
fate of the program, to disregard these people’s thoughts and feelings, 
which overwhelmingly support maintaining the program. 

If they did, the legitimacy of the process would be broken — a loss much 
more damaging and insulting than just the closure of a degree program.

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I suggest that we start a letter-writing campaign.

Write to Governor Otter and DEMAND that tax breaks/cuts, that are 
currently in effect, be scrutinized and (in many cases) terminated.  

These tax breaks/cuts are not only cutting into employment, but also into 
our children's education.

But, then, I guess that we can always sell our water . . . maybe to 
California.

Idaho may not be scraping the bottom of the barrel yet.  But, as the 
saying goes, you can certainly see it from here.

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
 
"For a lapsed Lutheran born-again Buddhist pan-Humanist Universalist 
Unitarian Wiccan Agnostic like myself there's really no reason ever to go 
to work."

- Roy Zimmerman


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