>Thanks for posting Mattingly's article, Joseph. Mattingly seems to me to
>be suggesting mainly that faculty members ought to mentor students --
>influence them by working one-on-one with them. I agree wholeheartedly.
>I'm not sure, though, that being "disportionately represented on University
>and College Honor Code Committees and ... disportionately represented on
>scientific integrity panels and oversight groups" accomplishes the same
>thing. Boards and committees have their function, and I agree we should do
>our part by serving on them. But I suspect we have a far greater impact on
>students by interacting with them.
I agree that mentoring is vital for encouraging students both in their
faith and in their chosen fields. I also suspect that few of us have much
experience in doing it. I have found that the student/faculty divide is a
hard one to breach. Both students and faculty don't quite know how to
initiate such relationships, especially among undergraduates. It is much
easier as a thesis or graduate advisor.
In this context, I would like to make a plug for an upcoming conference
sponsored by the graduate and faculty ministries of InterVarsity Christian
Fellowship. The conference is called "Following Christ/ Shaping Our World"
and will be held in Chicago from December 29, 1998 through January 2, 1999.
Its focus will be to encourage graduate students and faculty in the
integration of their faith and chosen fields of study. There will be a
strong emphasis on establishing mentoring relationships. The conference
centers around academic and professional tracks which allow participants to
grapple with the critical issues in their fields. Each track is led by a
mentor team of Christian academics and professionals, and significant
amounts of time will be spent in small groups within disciplines. Plenary
addresses will be by Bible expositor N.T. Wright, Dean of Lichfield
Cathedral, U.K. Other speakers include: Dallas Willard, Steve Hayner,
Samuel Escobar, Mary Ellen Ashcroft, Howard Van Till, Elizabeth
Fox-Genovese, and others.
For more information visit the website at <www.grad98.org>, e-mail the
conference registrar at <grad98@ivcf.org>, or call (608) 274-4823, ext.
407. Also feel free to contact me (kbmill@ksu.edu>.
Keith
Keith B. Miller
Department of Geology
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506
kbmill@ksu.ksu.edu
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~kbmill/