Senior Colloquium

"Equality & Responsibility in the Face of Competition"

MWF 2:00-2:50 p.m.
SRC 399 B
Murphy Waggoner
Rick Spellerberg
Professors of Mathematics - Class will be team taught

In this course we will investigate the forces that drive the competitive spirit of humans and the apparent consequences of their actions. Are these forces so strong that humans cannot help but behave in a destructive manner? Are all the participants playing on a level playing field? Is it possible to control these forces in such a way as to alleviate the problem of inequality that appears in many facets of society? If Nature is a participant in the game, are humans playing in such a way that Nature soon will no longer be able to cope with the pressures of competition?
As part of the class students will be introduced to elementary models that provide insight and possible answers to the questions listed above. Students will have the opportunity to develop their own models in their efforts to resolve the conflicts of responsibility and equality.

"Reproduction and Society"

WF 1-2:15 p.m.
SRC A
Jackie Brittingham
Associate Professor of Biology

This course will explore the impact that sex and reproduction have on women and men in a social and historical context. Students will have an opportunity to critically examine the physiological factors controlling male and female reproductive function and how they can be manipulated from oral contraceptives to gender reassignment. Students will explore the legal, ethical and religious attitudes toward population control, abortion, and reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization, stem cells and cloning. Cultural taboos and practices from across the globe will be explored, particularly as they relate to the role of women in social structures.

"Individual and Commitment in American Society: Private Goals and Community Responsibilities"

TTH 9:30 p.m.
SRC C
Fred Jones
Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice

This course explores the meanings Americans attach to the notions of individualism and community. The course adopts as its guiding question, "How are the commitment to individualism and the sense of community bound together?" We will explore the ways in which Americans fashion commitments in personal relationships to significant others and how they move beyond private relationships to public commitments such as voluntary association memberships or politics, and how their perceptions of community define otherness. We will make use of the perspectives of both majority and minority groups in American culture.

"Lives of Commitment"

TTH 2 p.m.
SRC D
Jim Hayes
Service Hub Director

The course explores the nature of leadership and how each of us is called to marshal our individual gifts, as well as to call forth those of others, in order to serve the common good as committed global citizens. Using cornerstone perspectives as a foundation, we shall study inspirational life stories and then discern our own gifts in order to explore how they might best be used to serve the common good in order to live a committed, meaningful life.

"Health and Wellness in Society"

MWF 11 a.m.
SRC F
Nicolle Whalen
Instructor of Physical Education/Assistant Athletic Trainer

This course will examine a variety of issues surrounding health and healthcare and we will do this from numerous perspectives. Students can expect to engage many disciplines of study while looking at economical constraints, insurance coverage, medication availability and effectiveness and causes and solutions to obesity - a serious social problem facing America. In addition, personal health care concerns, such as mental health, age-appropriate exams, alternative healthcare options and physical fitness will be discussed.

"Citizenship and Civic Engagement"

TTH 9:30-10:45 a.m.
SRC G
Kedron Bardwell
Assistant Professor of Political Science

American culture is permeated by individualism, materialism, and consumerism. As a result, some say we are becoming disconnected from what it means to be human and to be part of a community. This seminar explores two crucial questions. First, in a society known for wealth, acquisition, pleasure seeking, and individual freedom, how can we recover core ideas like responsibility, citizenship, and community? Second, how can you contribute to the common good as citizen of the Simpson community? To work out this idea in practice, students will design and execute a civic project to educate the campus about and spark activism on a global or domestic issue.

"Music and Identity"

TTH 9:30-10:45 a.m.
SRC H
John Benoit
Professor of Music

In Music and Identity, we will examine some ways in which music captures and reflects the values of the people by whom and for whom the music is created. The underlying assumption is that, because music plays such an important role in our lives, there is much that we can discover about who we are and what we value through the study of the music that we create and enjoy. Topics for this discussion will range beyond music per se to include issues of gender, ethnicity, class, education, and any of a variety of other topics in which societal values are manifest. Despite the prominent placement of the word "music" in the title of this course, students need no background in music in order to enroll in this course.

Major readings will include a biography of Clara Schumann, a gifted pianist and composer and wife of the famous 19th-century composer, Robert Schumann. We will also read a biographical novel about the actual Bert Williams, an African-American performer who achieved significant, but controversial, popularity as a blackface comedian in the early 1900s. In addition, there will be a number of short readings on topics ranging from Judy Garland fanatics to the religious beliefs of Tuvan throat singers to ambient music played in malls.

"Race and Identity in the United States of America"

MWF 11:00 - 11:50 a.m.
SRC 399 I
Allison Wolf
Assistant Professor of Philosophy

One of the most difficult and highly contentious subjects in the United States today is race. Our racial history is disturbing and deep and it has shaped the United States into the country it is today. In this class, we will examine how race has developed in the United States, how it has shaped the nation and individual members of our country, the problems that remain with us that are rooted in race and racism in the U.S. today, and ways to address these issues.


	Academic Calendar Course Schedules Course Descriptions Cornerstone Studies Programs Departments Graduation Requirements Policies Senior Colloquium Fall Spring Study Abroad Programs
Senior Colloquium - Spring 2009 "Equality & Responsibility in the Face of Competition" MWF 2:00-2:50 p.m. SRC 399 B Murphy Waggoner Rick Spellerberg Professors of Mathematics - Class will be team taught In this course we will investigate the forces that drive the competitive spirit of humans and the apparent consequences of their actions. Are these forces so strong that humans cannot help but behave in a destructive manner? Are all the participants playing on a level playing field? Is it possible to control these forces in such a way as to alleviate the problem of inequality that appears in many facets of society? If Nature is a participant in the game, are humans playing in such a way that Nature soon will no longer be able to cope with the pressures of competition? As part of the class students will be introduced to elementary models that provide insight and possible answers to the questions listed above. Students will have the opportunity to develop their own models in their efforts to resolve the conflicts of responsibility and equality. "Reproduction and Society" WF 1-2:15 p.m. SRC A Jackie Brittingham Associate Professor of Biology This course will explore the impact that sex and reproduction have on women and men in a social and historical context. Students will have an opportunity to critically examine the physiological factors controlling male and female reproductive function and how they can be manipulated from oral contraceptives to gender reassignment. Students will explore the legal, ethical and religious attitudes toward population control, abortion, and reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization, stem cells and cloning. Cultural taboos and practices from across the globe will be explored, particularly as they relate to the role of women in social structures. "Individual and Commitment in American Society: Private Goals and Community Responsibilities" TTH 9:30 p.m. SRC C Fred Jones Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice This course explores the meanings Americans attach to the notions of individualism and community. The course adopts as its guiding question, "How are the commitment to individualism and the sense of community bound together?" We will explore the ways in which Americans fashion commitments in personal relationships to significant others and how they move beyond private relationships to public commitments such as voluntary association memberships or politics, and how their perceptions of community define otherness. We will make use of the perspectives of both majority and minority groups in American culture. "Lives of Commitment" TTH 2 p.m. SRC D Jim Hayes Service Hub Director The course explores the nature of leadership and how each of us is called to marshal our individual gifts, as well as to call forth those of others, in order to serve the common good as committed global citizens. Using cornerstone perspectives as a foundation, we shall study inspirational life stories and then discern our own gifts in order to explore how they might best be used to serve the common good in order to live a committed, meaningful life. "Health and Wellness in Society" MWF 11 a.m. SRC F Nicolle Whalen Instructor of Physical Education/Assistant Athletic Trainer This course will examine a variety of issues surrounding health and healthcare and we will do this from numerous perspectives. Students can expect to engage many disciplines of study while looking at economical constraints, insurance coverage, medication availability and effectiveness and causes and solutions to obesity - a serious social problem facing America. In addition, personal health care concerns, such as mental health, age-appropriate exams, alternative healthcare options and physical fitness will be discussed. "Citizenship and Civic Engagement" TTH 9:30-10:45 a.m. SRC G Kedron Bardwell Assistant Professor of Political Science American culture is permeated by individualism, materialism, and consumerism. As a result, some say we are becoming disconnected from what it means to be human and to be part of a community. This seminar explores two crucial questions. First, in a society known for wealth, acquisition, pleasure seeking, and individual freedom, how can we recover core ideas like responsibility, citizenship, and community? Second, how can you contribute to the common good as citizen of the Simpson community? To work out this idea in practice, students will design and execute a civic project to educate the campus about and spark activism on a global or domestic issue. "Music and Identity" TTH 9:30-10:45 a.m. SRC H John Benoit Professor of Music In Music and Identity, we will examine some ways in which music captures and reflects the values of the people by whom and for whom the music is created. The underlying assumption is that, because music plays such an important role in our lives, there is much that we can discover about who we are and what we value through the study of the music that we create and enjoy. Topics for this discussion will range beyond music per se to include issues of gender, ethnicity, class, education, and any of a variety of other topics in which societal values are manifest. Despite the prominent placement of the word "music" in the title of this course, students need no background in music in order to enroll in this course. Major readings will include a biography of Clara Schumann, a gifted pianist and composer and wife of the famous 19th-century composer, Robert Schumann. We will also read a biographical novel about the actual Bert Williams, an African-American performer who achieved significant, but controversial, popularity as a blackface comedian in the early 1900s. In addition, there will be a number of short readings on topics ranging from Judy Garland fanatics to the religious beliefs of Tuvan throat singers to ambient music played in malls. "Race and Identity in the United States of America" MWF 11:00 - 11:50 a.m. SRC 399 I Allison Wolf Assistant Professor of Philosophy One of the most difficult and highly contentious subjects in the United States today is race. Our racial history is disturbing and deep and it has shaped the United States into the country it is today. In this class, we will examine how race has developed in the United States, how it has shaped the nation and individual members of our country, the problems that remain with us that are rooted in race and racism in the U.S. today, and ways to address these issues.
About Simpson \| Admissions \| Evening, Weekend & Graduate Programs \| Academics \| Alumni Athletics \| Arts & Forum \| Campus & Community \| Student Life \| Support Simpson Simpson.edu \| Site Map \| Contact Us © Copyright 2008 Simpson College Last Updated: 3/4/08	SEARCH: