UCSC Review Winter 1996

Hewlett grant funds Intercultural Studies Program at colleges

The campus's residential college system helped UCSC win a $100,000 grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to develop an innovative program in U.S. Intercultural Studies. The program is designed to promote cultural understanding and unity, and UCSC was chosen in part because its eight colleges provide a unique opportunity to integrate academic and co-curricular approaches to learning.

The program will combine academic courses and complementary non-class activities offered at each of the colleges, such as lectures, dances, movies, and conferences. Each course will compare at least two cultural groups in the U.S.

The program reflects UCSC's commitment to diversity and to fostering a deeper understanding among ethnic groups, said Chancellor Pister. "This program will help our students understand and value the rich array of perspectives that a diverse populace contributes to American culture," said Pister. "Through historical analysis and firsthand experience, they will gain respect for how diversity strengthens society and the democratic process."

Each of the eight participating faculty members will develop a course based at one of the colleges. There will be no restrictions on the disciplinary nature of the classes, which could focus on history, literature, economics, art, biology, politics, religion, or any other field or combination of fields. Class size will range from large lecture courses to small seminars. Co-curricular activities will be available to all students, not just those in the courses.

One of the goals of the program is to increase empathy for and interest in other cultures, and faculty members will develop tools with which to measure attitude changes, said John Isbister, provost of Merrill College and coordinator of the program.

The UCSC Alumni Association contributed funds toward the U.S. Intercultural Studies Program.