Today, the Pope Center offered UNC-Chapel Hill a donation of $2,000 to defray the cost of a course that is being cut for “budget” reasons. The course, “Elements of Politics,” is an honors course taught by a much-admired instructor, Larry Goldberg. Each semester he has been teaching two sections of a series on the development of Western thought. But, weighing budget priorities, the honors program decided to reduce the spring sections to just one — saving $7,500, according to press reports. It preferred to keep more funds for study abroad and in support of senior research theses.
From our letter to Chancellor Holden Thorp:
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The John W. Pope Center for Higher Education Policy is profoundly disappointed at this signal that Carolina doesn’t have enough money for a serious class dealing with the ideas underlying modern civilization but plenty of money for frivolous ones.
To save this course, Pope Center offers to contribute $2,000 toward the $7,500 that we understand Larry Goldberg’s course costs. We encourage others to join us in funding this extraordinary example of the best in higher education, if outside funding is necessary.
Other courses currently offered by the honors program include: “The World of the Beat Generation: Transcultural Connections,” “Conspiracy Thinking in Contemporary America,” and “Costume History.”