PROFESSORS, familiar teaching assistants, graduate students and some academic townies compose the typical intellectual grouping at a speaker's lecture. But where are the undergraduates? Given the incredible amount of academic resources at the University and intelligent students to match, it is surprising that undergraduate attendance at academic lectures is negligible.
Last week, I attended a two-day lecture series entitled "Discourse and Democracy." Prominent scholars addressed the audience and later engaged in debate -- New York Times columnist David Brooks and John Searle, renowned philosophy scholar at Berkeley, were among the invited speakers. At a time when discourse is a major factor in the presidential election and shaping our democracy, I thought potential undergraduate voters would be thrilled at the chance to hear these scholars battle it out and make devious remarks about the Bush administration -- on the contrary, undergraduate attendance comprised only a tiny proportion of the audience.
Many undergraduates will respond that homework, extracurricular and social activities take too much time and therefore, attending these academic lectures is nearly impossible. Richard Handler, associate dean for undergraduate academic programs, said this is a general problem at the University -- there is so much going on, and many of us are stretched pretty thin.
Yet students fail to realize that these discourses on pertinent academic subjects supplement their education. Handler recommends that students pick events of interest or relevance to them, their major or academic inclinations. At the beginning of the semester, Handler advises students to choose one to three events of particular interest and make room in their schedules to attend them. In order to find appropriate academic discourses, Handler suggests talking to teachers, advisors or other students.
There is no better way to learn than to listen to scholars debate a subject in front of a live audience. To read an academic book is not the same as first-hand commentary on ideas and outlooks. Designed to enhance a student's academic experience, these lectures are crucial to enlightening his studies and leading him to form new ideas and generate individual opinions.
Granted, some academic events are well-attended. Last year, Mo Rocca's visit with the Center for Politics filled Old Cabell to capacity. These "pop culture" speakers attract big crowds of undergraduate students, but they do not fulfill the same objectives of more academic lectures. Distinguished professors and academics are left to the older scholars, while young, more exciting speakers are paid tons of money to engage the undergraduates. Instead, organizations, in addition to recruiting these celebrities, should focus on more academic lectures and encourage undergraduate participation.
Some professors contribute to this progress by requiring attendance, offering extra credit or recommending academic events. Other University organizations publicize and fund these events. Yet the normal undergraduate student would rather attend a StudCo meeting than listen to another academic's lecture.
Students should sacrifice some extracurricular activities and resume-builders here and there to receive an education, however. Professors do not need to enforce these sacrifices, and students do not need to wait until the graduate level. The time is now to critically engage with the material you are learning and formulate your own assessments. Go to these academic events and schmooze with your professors, discuss politics, ask questions to distinguished scholars and, best of all, stay for the reception and free food.
It may not be as "cool" as Survivor Hour or a frat party, but it is constructive to balance your academic experience with intellectual discussions of scholarly issues. Do not let funding from organizations, which you contribute to, go directly to graduate students and TAs. We attend a university with tremendous academic resources and an intellectually-charged environment; students should participate in and engage with these academic talks from some of the most important scholars in their fields of interest.
Michael Behr's column appears Wednesdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at mbehr@cavalierdaily.com.
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