Classes link traditional studies, current issues

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 Edward Chiao

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The creation of the seminar series “Perspectives on
September 11″ represents the best of what a university can
and should be.

The seminars will bring an academic perspective to the attacks
while providing students with a much-needed outlet to discuss their
emotions.

At a large, overcrowded school like UCLA, these classes provide
respite from classes which often have much less relevance and
immediacy to our lives.

With potentially thousands of interested students and only a few
weeks to plan, UCLA has put together 46 small seminars that will be
taught by such high-ranking university administrators as Chancellor
Albert Carnesale.

These seminars show how current issues can be, and must be
approached by multiple disciplines across campus from the sciences
to the arts, and how our fields of study are relevant to the world
we live in.

Keeping the classes small so students can personally interact
with their instructors and classmates adds to their benefit and
further personalizes the experience.

Inside the big impersonal building that is Murphy Hall, there
are real people ““ people who care about the needs of students
and value the purpose of relevant and contemporary education along
with traditional academics.

The fact that professors are teaching these classes without pay
shows us they value a university education for its own sake, not
just for research purposes or to gain academic notoriety.

The administration must carry the spirit behind the seminars
into the regular school year by encouraging the development of a
curriculum that seeks to bridge the gap between what we’re
taught and what we live.

We must move beyond reflection: by seeking answers to the Sept.
11 attacks, we’re truly honoring the memory of the
victims.