The Department of Humanities
College of Arts and Sciences
The LTU Department of Humanities has an interesting history. When the College of Arts and Sciences was created by then President Wayne H. Buell forty years ago, the departments of English and Social Sciences continued to be “service” departments. In the 1970’s, the late Dean Zaven Margosian, impressed as we all were by the credentials and excellence of the two faculties, combined these “literary intellectuals” into one department so that, in addition to teaching majors in Engineering, Architecture and Management, they would have the opportunity to graduate their own major students.
As the reader may recall, the famous British scientist (and novelist) C. P. Snow (some time ago) wrote an attention-getting (and controversial) paper entitled “The Two Cultures.” One of these cultures was represented by the “literary intellectuals.” That term is used in its most laudatory sense in this newsletter. The other culture (scientists) certainly finds it urgently necessary to avail itself of the expertise of the literary intellectuals in learning how to communicate information to others concerning the discoveries and creations they (scientists, engineers, architects) produce.
The Humanities faculty have paid tribute to the cooperative status they enjoy with the scientists by naming their literary publication “Prism.” This is recognition indeed since most of us think of a prism as an optical device encountered in a freshman or sophomore Physics lab.
The Humanities Department today offers not only coursework in English and Social Sciences (there is a new baccalaureate program in English and Communication Arts) but also in Psychology, Business and Media Arts.
The Humanities faculty have created a Core Curriculum which helps ensure that all LTU undergraduates proudly enter the ranks of professionals knowing that they are “educated” in every sense of the word. The faculty have also provided a writing proficiency test which is of great value.
The Humanities Department and its students sponsor the Society of Dramatic Arts (SODA) which presents theatrical productions. Many Engineering students and students from other majors participate in these theatrical ventures. The recent presentation of “Dracula” was well-attended and served as another collegial interaction originating with this Department.
Other programs, directed by Humanities faculty, which are associated with the College of Arts and Sciences and the entire University are the LTU Scholars program, featuring Professor Kevin Kelch as Program Director, and the Honors Program which has Dr. James Rodgers as Program Advisor.
For those of us who serve as counselors, the Humanities faculty are our strong allies in providing the ultimate in guidance and encouragement to our students.