Guest Lecture and Reception
Speaker: Harry R. Lewis
Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science
Harvard College Professor
Dean of the College, Harvard University (1995-2003)
Topic: "What's So Hard About General Education?"
Where: Ralph S. O'Connor House, Rice University
When: Saturday, October 21, 2006, from 3-5:30 p.m.
RSVP: Replies appreciated, although not required: email Rice Phi Beta Kappa secretary Priscilla Huston (pbk@rice.edu) with the names of the people in your party.
Description:
Prof. Lewis has just published Excellence Without a Soul: How a Great University Forgot Education . He says that the answer to the question in his lecture title is posed in the first few chapters of his book and “there is no societal consensus on the purpose of undergraduate education, except that everyone needs to have it!” Although his focus is on Harvard, his thoughts and questions are relevant to education in general. He finds that his audiences erupt in discussion spontaneously and that he is planning to encourage this dialog at Rice. We are hoping to have his book available for purchase after the talk. He will be glad to sign any copies.
Please join faculty, students, alumni, and others engaged in pursuing the potential benefits of questioning how we define and pursue the goals of education. The timing of this event is fortuitous, as Rice dean of undergraduates Robin Forman has just announced the formation of CRUP, the Committee on the Rice Undergraduate Program. This committee is assigned the task of articulating a vision for the Rice undergraduate program that will serve as a guide over the coming years.
For more about Prof. Lewis and his book, please see http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~lewis/
Directions and Parking:
Formerly the Rice president’s house, O’Connor House is home to the Office of Alumni Affairs and Rice Career Services Center. From campus entrance 1, continue to the “T” intersection at Founder’s Court (the large grassy area in front of Lovett Hall). O’Connor House is to the right toward the north colleges, on President’s Drive. Paid visitor parking is available in the Lovett Lot on either side of Founder’s Court.
Rice University Campus Map: <www.rice.edu/maps/maps.html>
This event has been made possible by the combined contributions of:
We also appreciate the University of Texas Phi Beta Kappa (Texas Alpha) Chapter that helped to make this possible.