As College of General Studies sophomores prepare to transfer into other Boston University schools and colleges, half of the natural sciences professors are also preparing to leave CGS ‘- for good.
In February, CGS officials announced that beginning next academic year, CGS students will no longer have to take the required freshman natural science class. The elimination of the natural science requirement cuts the department in half, meaning the non-tenured natural science professors of the department will be jobless at the end of the semester.
Natural science department chairman Peter Busher said seeing some of his non-tenured colleagues look for new jobs has been difficult.
‘I’ve worked with a lot of these people for a number of years,’ Busher said.’ ‘It’s just unfortunate that it happened this year with the economy.’
BU professors who teach advanced science courses outside CGS said that although they are unfamiliar with the CGS curriculum, they notice no difference between CGS students and others.
‘I have had many, and they’ve done well,’ biology professor Fred Wasserman said.’ ‘I don’t really see a difference between the students that are in CAS and the students that are in CGS. They’re well-prepared when they come from CGS.’
CGS sophomore Amanda Olesen Wickline said she emailed her former professor, Leonard Andres, when she heard about the cuts to tell him that his class had been beneficial to her.
‘I really liked my natural science professor,’ Olesen Wickline said.’ ‘[I emailed him] just to be like, thank you.’
Olesen Wickline said without the requirement, she might not have discovered her passion for biology, in which she intends to major.
‘I feel like people are missing out,’ Olesen Wickline said. ‘I’m going into biology . . . I don’t know if I would have without that. The natural science department is what influenced me.’
CGS sophomore Adam Korn, Student Union’s CGS voting representative, said he thinks the program will suffer without the requirement, especially because many students will go without any science courses.
‘Students who are going into CGS can fit all the material into the four years,’ Korn said.’ ‘But especially with how the environment is today, with the amount of environmental concerns, it’s really detrimental to the CGS curriculum.’
CGS Assistant Dean Robert Emery said the change is intended to give students more room for electives.
‘It provides CGS students with a little more flexibility in the first year,’ Emery said.’ ‘This puts our curriculum a little bit more in line with the rest of the university.’
Emery said he thinks students will benefit from being able to take required courses for their intended majors earlier in their college careers.
‘I think actually that it’s going to let our students diversify more,’ Emery said.’ ‘Students that are more interested in a career in [the College of Communication], or the School of Management . . . they would have the ability to take courses more in line with their own interests.’
Emery said next year, CGS will offer two optional CGS-only math courses to replace natural science.
‘I think it’s a positive move all the way around,’ Emery said.
Busher, the department chair, said he was initially skeptical of cutting the requirement when the dean presented it as one of several possible plans for change at a meeting last August.
‘[She] just mentioned, ‘What do you think about this?” Busher said. ‘My first reaction was that my jaw dropped.’
Busher said the dean listened to tenured faculty members’ opinions before ultimately making the decision to cut part of the program.
‘There wasn’t like a formal vote or anything like that. The dean was consulting us,’ Busher said.’ ‘I’m not sure that it’s an absolute democracy in the academic world.’
CGS natural science professors declined to comment.
Busher said he is adjusting to the change.
‘Any change is difficult, but I think you have to approach change with a positive attitude,’ Busher said.
‘ ‘Next year, they won’t even remember it being different,’ he said.’ ‘We’ll move forward, and it’ll be all right.’
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