Dear Friends,
It has just come to the attention of current students and alumni of Cedarville University that a recommendation has been made to the board of trustees that, upon approval, will result in the removal of the Philosophy program and perhaps even the professors who have invested their lives into creating a community of philosophical thought.
This blog is a form of protest intended to foster unified, credible, and honest dissent. It is our hope that we will soon see not only the rejection of this recommendation, but also the recognition and celebration of the professors who have invested their time into making this program into what it is. This is a call for those who have a direct connection to Philosophy at Cedarville, those who may be indirectly connected to Cedarville’s professors or alumni, or those with no connection but the will to promote philosophy, quality education, institutional transparency, or something else. Rather than stating our own reasons why we think the philosophy program and its professors should remain, we ask that each individual post their own personal reason and thoughts. In an effort to act according to the principles of unity, credibility, and honesty, we ask that you email a picture of yourself, your name, who you are (professional affiliation, chosen path of life), and why you specifically protest the removal of this program and its professors to: indefenseofcuphilosophy@gmail.com [notice: This email address has recently changed because of problems with the other account. If you have sent a submission recently and it has not been posted, please send it to this new address. We apologize for any inconvenience.]
Please go to the ‘Our Voices’ page to hear what our community has to say about this issue.
We hope this will be a space that reflects a beautiful and strong unity through our diversity and brings about radical changes for those who need it.
On behalf of those of us who care,
Thank You.
Please consider signing this petition–and passing it along to others–to let Cedarville know we are passionate & concerned about our university!
http://action.groundswell-movement.org/petitions/restore-critical-thought-to-cedarville-university
*Our Community is Growing: Please note that the names listed on the left side only represent the most recent 50 posts. Please see ‘Archives’ to navigate through our complete listing of posts.
My name is Tim and I am a ’96 grad of Cedarville College, back before it became the University, having made the changes to meet the standards to be approved as such.
I only found out about the Philosophy department and major being considered for termination this morning. Amidst starting four children for their days, I’ve had time to consider the decision the Trustees are weighing, but I’ve not much time to respond as I ushered our last child out the door and am now attempting to respond before the 10AM deadline.
I will keep it short as to my responses. I have two primary thoughts. The first is from my experience and obviously my opinion. The Cedarville Philosophy department had great profs when I attended. I did minor in Philosophy and majored in Bible. The profs in the philosophy department served more practically as an adviser to me than did my own adviser and department. From a personal perspective, my experience with the Philosophy department and in my case as a minor, I experienced and received more counsel, care, and direction than from within my own major.
Secondly, and as a broader response, I question what the purpose of this move to terminate the department and major is about. Making this move will most certainly speak or reveal something to Cedarville University’s peers, future students, current students, and faculty. As Trustees, I would like to ask you, what do you think this decision, if you follow through with it, will communicate among your peers, students, and faculty? As someone who attended and now is much more of an observer than participant, I am concerned that this is boiling down to stats and money. So 11 students are in the department currently (as I understand it). If that is total major and minors or only majors, I don’t know because as I said, I received the message through my wife as I was readying children for school. Bottom line is, that if this decision is based off of stats leading to financial motivation, please consider this post. What other way(s) can this be remedied. Making a change like this because of the numbers also says something. About what is valued. About what we believe. Please consider a better way. As one alternative, why not revamp your general requirements to include a different array of Philosophy foundations courses that speaks loudly to your peers, future and current students, and faithful faculty that what Cedarville University is behind is not teaching students what to think, but how to think.
Respectfully, thank you for considering my post,
Tim Courtright
Hello friends – I just posted my contribution to this at the Huffington Post.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jesse-james-deconto/why-my-evangelical-college-shouldnt-do-away-with-the-philosophy-department_b_2497777.html