New Themester program spans disciplines

After only a week of classes, the first “Themester” focusing on “Evolution, Diversity and Change” is well underway.

Launched by the College of Arts and Sciences, the program aims to get students thinking across disciplines using classes and extracurricular activities.

Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education Jean Robinson said she started researching themed semester programs last year after the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Bennett Bertenthal, brought a program at the University of Michigan to her attention.

“Several smaller liberal arts colleges have themed years of semesters,” Robinson said.
“But it’s hard to imagine how you would go about doing it at a big university. The College of Arts and Sciences has 44 different departments with another 25 or 30 programs.”

After deciding on a one-semester program, Robinson asked different department chairs to submit theme ideas. Within 36 hours she had dozens of suggestions flooding her inbox.

“We had to get imaginative putting together a couple of themes into one,” Robinson said. “So no matter if you’re in English or religious studies or business or in SPEA, you can find some doorway to get into it.”

This year’s theme, “Evolution, Diversity and Change,” highlights the anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the publication of “On the Origin of Species.”

But there aren’t just the average biology and anthropology classes. Robinson said Themester makes the theme concepts accessible to all disciplines. There are 45 classes – both old and new – incorporating elements of evolution, diversity or change.

“I wanted this to be an opportunity for faculty to think about new classes they can offer,” Robinson said. “The idea is that every year will be the mechanism to create some new courses that will be continued to be offered beyond the semester.”

History and Philosophy of Science professor Colin Allen pioneered a new class for the fall program.

In his course “Science of Animal Minds: Smart Animals, Dumb Humans?” students look at the science of animal minds from a historical and philosophical perspective.

“When I heard about the theme, I decided to do something special,” Allen said. “This is a great opportunity to present some interesting information to a captivated group of students.”

Allen said that with the help of another colleague and some special Themester funding, he is bringing in two well-known speakers to lecture about Darwin, evolution and creationism.
In addition to classes, Robinson said there are events taking place across campus throughout the semester, almost all of which are free for students to attend.

Lectures, musical events, student discussion panels and theatrical productions are some of the activities associated with the program. “Inherit the Wind,” a play about the 1925 Scopes “Monkey Trial,” is already running at the John Waldron Arts Center.

Union Board Performance and Comedy director Julie Singer said the board is working with the College of Arts and Sciences to promote Themester events, including a lecture by controversial author and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins.

“I think it’s a really great idea to marry academics with social and cultural auxiliary programming,” Singer said. “It’s great to create dialogue about some important issues.”