University of San Diego

[smart move]

A FRESH START
FOR EDUCATON

National recognition prompts new name and new building

The new building for the School of Leadership and Education Sciences will be constructed west of Copley Library.

You may not have noticed, but over the past few years USD’s School of Education has quietly assembled a slate of nationally recognized programs in education, leadership studies, school and career counseling, and marital and family therapy.

And now it’s time to let the world know. Reflecting its expanded mission and cutting-edge offerings, the School of Education earlier this year announced a new name — the School of Leadership and Education Sciences— and unveiled plans for a new and critically needed $35 million, 86,000-square-foot building to be constructed west of Copley Library.

It’s about time. Since 1998, the school’s faculty has swelled from 15 to 35, and the student population has doubled to nearly 1,000 students. Academic programs have grown to encompass master’s and doctoral degrees, teaching credentials and specialized programs in educational leadership, nonprofit leadership management and character education.

“We’ve grown tremendously in our offerings,” says Paula Cordeiro, the school’s dean. “We now have a variety of leadership and other programs beyond those that focus on traditional education.”

Construction of the new facility will begin in July 2006. The building, which will be financed by a fund-raising campaign that launches this fall, will house state-of-the-art technology such as interactive “smart” classrooms, an instructional resource center and simulation classrooms for demonstration of counseling and teaching scenarios and techniques.

“It’s an exciting time for us,” Cordeiro says. “We were a small, fine school. And now we’re a larger, more comprehensive school that will better address the needs of our community.”

September 24

Women Peacemakers Program

This annual event brings four women involved in peacemaking efforts from conflict-affected countries to an eight-week residency at USD’s Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice.

The goal is to document the challenges and successes of these women. Call (619) 260-7569 or go to http://peace.sandiego.edu.

October 7-8

Opening Doors

The IPJ will be the setting for a historic gathering of scholars from all four U.S.-Mexico border states during the fifth annual Bi-National Border Pedagogy Conference, which has the theme of “Bridging Borders That Divide Us: Opening Access to Educational Opportunity.” To learn more, go to the website.

October 21-23

Family Weekend

Parents are welcomed to campus for this full weekend of events and a look at student life. Many faculty throw open their classroom doors, student life seminars on topics like “successful transitions” and “study abroad” are offered, along with an intramural golf tournament, football and soccer games and much more. Call (619) 260-4808 or go to www.sandiego.edu/parents.

November 12-20

My Kingdom for a Horse!

Applaud USD theatre students as you get up-close and personal at the Cassius Carter Centre Stage in this production of Shakespeare’s “Richard III,” presented by the Old Globe/University of San Diego Graduate Theatre Program. Chock full of political intrigue, deception and murder, the classic play is centered around literature’s most notorious villain. For more information, call (619) 234-5623.

[syllabus]

Course Title: Social Ethics

Instructor: Lawrence Hinman

Description: A study of the applications of ethical concepts and principles to different areas of human social conduct.

Shocking Realization: This class begins at 7:30 a.m., and by 7:35 the professor is handing out a pop quiz. Gulp.

Ambiance: Professor Hinman looks as wide-awake as it is possible for a human being to be. The vast majority of students wear “hoodies” to ward off the morning chill. Several appear to be wearing slippers.

Sustenance: Most students have brought breakfast with them, ranging from cinnamon buns to bagels to smoothies. Nearly everyone has some form of caffeine at the ready.

Opener: The pop quiz deals with the TFR (Total Fertility Rate) for Western and Third World Countries. Once it’s established that the global population is on an alarming upward spiral, Professor Hinman begins: “On our list of cheery topics, we turn today to the subject of hunger. It turns out that helping people is an extraordinarily tricky business.”

Inadvertent Humor: 2.1 children per family is the magic number that means a society will have zero population growth. Upon revealing that Italy’s TFR is a shockingly low 1.28, Hinman wryly notes that “Italy is possibly the most Catholic country in the world. I don’t know what they’re doing wrong.”

Food for Thought: “To turn our backs in the face of such human misery would be cold-hearted indeed. Such a response would not only fail to relieve the suffering of others, but it would also diminish us, revealing a disturbing moral indifference.” — Contemporary Moral Issues: Diversity and Consensus, by Lawrence M. Hinman.

In Conclusion: “As we move toward exam week, you may not feel that you live incredibly privileged lives.” Class dismissed.