[Alumni-chat] Antioch future vision

[Sistersara at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/5/2007 6:25:12 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
Daniel.Spock at MNHS.ORG writes:

think  the general strand of the discussion established by Dr. Apter, Frank 
Adler (at  the alumni meeting I attended in Minneapolis this weekend,) and I'm 
sure many  others, is really going to be a key matter going forward: revive 
Antioch how?  In what new, distinctive style that sets it apart from what so 
many other  institutions have adopted? 


Daniel, I wish I had been at the Mpls meeting this weekend, but was down  
with a flu bug, and didn't want to offer it up to others.  
 
But have heard a bit about the meeting, it seemed productive, and I too was  
much in agreement with what David Apter had posted.  I certainly agree that  
the content of curriculum along with overall plan will be the key to success in 
 this venture, and I want to lay a concrete process proposal.  
 
I am of the opinion that the beginning of the slow demise of Antioch was an  
obscure decision in 1967 when the Faculty had a major dispute among 
themselves,  and then with Dixon, but the result was they voted away their powers to 
more or  less control curriculum, pass final muster on awarding degrees, and make 
the key  decisions on tenure and contracts.  As I say -- it was an obscure 
decision,  framed in the rhetoric of that period, but in the end, set a pattern. 
 I  think if we succeed in this reconstruction of Antioch, one critical 
element will  be to return those powers and responsibility to the core teaching 
faculty.   So what I propose ought to be comprehended in this light.  
 
What I suggest is a conference on our campus -- perhaps during spring  break, 
Easter, Passover, next spring to which would be invited Antiochians in  
Academic Careers, and Professions that parallel such careers.  It  should be 
sponsered by the Alumni Board -- but perhaps we could find an  organizing committee 
not as much put upon as our current board.  (Remember,  all usually expected 
is to organize Reunions and help with admissions and  some fund raising.)   
What I have in mind is Antiochians currently  teaching in all parts of the US 
Academic Community, and thus in contact with a  broad sample of contemporary 
students, spending a couple of days doing public  brainstorming.  Some of it 
should be around specific disciplines normally  part of the Liberal Arts Canon, and 
then it should be more or less mixed up with  interdisciplinary 
possibilities, and we should include at least a few  "futurists" -- who can use 
demographics and intellectual and cultural trends, to  offer some prophetic commentary.  
 
Out of this, well we publish something called perhaps, "The New Antioch --  
Working Papers"  put it on line, perhaps offer a print version, and not  really 
plan much specific -- but lay down markers from several generations  of 
Academically inclined Antiochians for those who will be making critical  planning 
decisions in the next year or so as to what the place will be about,  and the 
strategy for getting to take-off.  I am really more concerned with  putting a 
diversity of options on the table, with the rational for them, than I  am with 
any specific planning.  At the same time I don't want to ignore the  real fact 
that many Antiochians in Academic careers and Professions, bought in  during 
recent months precisely because they understood the possibility for a new  
vision -- and we need to engage them in an immediate way in discussion about  
what that vision would include, and exclude.  Yes, this discussion can take  
place on line, and that should be encouraged, but something is to be said for  
focused and organized conference style with published papers.  Obviously in  
current financial conditions, this would have to be a self-supporting  effort.  A 
Dutch Treat Conference.  
 
Anyhow, I propose this as something easy to do -- does anyone want to take  
it from there.  



************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com