Tom Isern, NDSU

Here's a matter that has concerned me for some time: the offering by the College of Engineering & Architecture of ENGR 311 and ENGR 312 for general education credit in the humanities and social sciences. This is inappropriate inasmuch as it is not the mission of the College of Engineering & Architecture to teach the humanities and social sciences. That college, if it wishes to provide general education, should offer courses on technology. Check out this paper on the issue.

In the Spectrum of 28 April, editorialist Nathan Hansen asks, "When is NDSU going to get a new library?" Let's pose the question exactly that way--"when," not "if." Check out Hansen's editorial. And let's hear some more voices of common sense like his. How about we set a date?

(Just sent the following news item to It's Happening at State.)

Three PhD students from the NDSU History Department were paper presenters at the annual meeting of the Western Social Science Association, in Albuquerque, April 15-18. Their papers were:

Miles Lewis, "The New Regional History: An Exercise in Historical Methods"

Andrea Mott, "Brotherhood and Beyond: The FarmHouse Documentation Project"

Jessica Clark, "Somebody Had to Stay Home: Never-Ending Chores and Responsibilities"

Lewis and Mott also were panelists for the book critique session of the Rural Studies Section of the association, discussing Mockingbird Song: Ecological Landscapes of the South, by Jack Temple Kirby.

Neall Pogue, MA student in History (and my teaching assistant this year, I'm happy to say), reports that his paper presentation on Quannah Parker and the Comanche in the reservation era went over well at the Student History Conference, convened at the University of South Dakota last week. Way to go, Neall.

Congratulations to Molly Dirkach, junior History major and McNair program scholar, for her splendid McNair research presentation on sumptuary laws last Thursday.

Just sent the following news to It's Happening at State.

Two PhD students from the NDSU history program were participants in the annual conference of the Organization of American Historians in Seattle, March 26-28.

Jessica Clark presented the paper, "The German-Russian Story: Reconstructing Identity through Oral Histories," drawing on her dissertation research and the Dakota Memories Oral History Project of the Germans from Russia Heritage Center, NDSU Library.

Andrea Mott presented the topic, "Brotherhood and Beyond: The Farmhouse Documentation Project," at the graduate student poster session. She also attended working meetings as the region's graduate representative on the OAH membership committee.

History students - looking for an internship or summer job on the great western plains? Check out this flyer from the Billings County Museum.