Writing

Change is necessary and inevitable. But it does not need to be resented or resisted. We should resent only circumstances that allow others around us to adapt but prevent us from doing the same. When confronted with our changing world, if we choose not to respond – not to adapt – decisions affecting our future are taken away from us and made by others.

With external forces of change multiplying and becoming stronger, it is that much more important that we do not impose additional constraints (obstacles) upon ourselves. We can choose to adapt or choose to be left behind. Our conviction, stubbornness, or failure to act will not slow the pace of change in our world.

A good book comforts us. A great book challenges us. This year’s first-year reading selection, “The Sixth Extinction” by Elizabeth Kolbert, is a great book.

This book opened our eyes, engaged our minds, expanded our thinking, at times shrunk our significance, contextualized our evolution and our existence, and reminded us of both our fragility and our ephemeral nature.  It also made us uncomfortable, uneasy, and uncertain at times. I can’t imagine a university’s first-year reading selection, or any book, doing more than that.

The last decade has seen considerable energy and enthusiasm for mash-ups between the STEM disciplines and the Liberal Arts disciplines, with motivations ranging from practical to political, obvious to opportunistic, and sensible to silly. Many colleges and universities, government agencies, and professional societies have set in motion substantial discourse around this fruitful topic. I have had the privilege and opportunity to weigh-in on the value of new pedagogies and degree programs, and to offer opinions – informed through my experience as a faculty member, department head, dean, and provost – on trends in higher education more broadly. Here, I offer some observations and personal commentary on some of the discussions surrounding STEM and the Liberal Arts.

The First-Year Reading for UVM students this year, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman, challenges us to think beyond what we know about human health and healing, to open our minds to cultures and cultural beliefs vastly different than our own, and to consider that western medical practices and beliefs – while grounded in science – may be even more effective when practiced in parallel with the healing practices and beliefs of other cultures. But perhaps more than anything, this book looks carefully and critically – with compassion but without bias – at some of the greatest challenges and cultural failures of our society, those surrounding the practice of medicine and healing.

In my role as Provost, I am fortunate to have occasion to promote and celebrate the many accomplishments of our faculty, staff, and students. These range from academic and scholarly achievements, to successes and innovations in pedagogy, to impactful community and statewide engagement. This week’s release of Humanities, a beautiful new publication of the UVM Humanities Center, is just such an occasion and I intend to take full advantage of it!

Humanities describes many of the exciting activities underway in the humanities and fine arts and demonstrates the rich diversity of scholarly productivity, creative works, and high-impact teaching and learning taking place at the University of Vermont.