Liberal Arts take on 'The City'

Starting in fall 1996 semester, Cal State Long Beach will incorporate a year-long theme called "The City," into every department on campus.

Named "Odessy Project,", it will explore all aspects of cities around the world in comparison to Southern California in its first year.

The project seeks to involve the campus and its surrounding community in various events including art exhibits, field trips, films, performances, teleconferencing and trips.

Dorothy Abrahamse, dean of the College of Liberal Arts said the project will tackle major issues to bring the campus together.

Classes scheduled for the 1996/97 academic year will investigate topics such as history, the environment, migration, energy sources, trade, social structure and health issues in other cities.

All courses will give students chances for both class and field experiences in exercises involving the theme."

The project received the name "Oddessy," from Homers epic tale of Odysseus about a Greek hero and his journeys which led him on adventures and discoveries.

It will allow students make journeys of discoveries and adventures while learning more about their own city and those unfamiliar to them.

Fall 1996 semester students will have a chance in selected courses to compare the Long Beach and Los Angeles areas to other major urban cities in the United States.

They will look at the differences and similarities in culture, economics, and social issues in comparison with Chicago, Miami, New York and Seattle.

The Spring 1997 semester will focus on urban life in Southern California in comparison with London, Mexico City and Tokyo.

The problems of population and infrastructure now faced by these larger cities in the future will be evaluated in courses and special events on campus.

Another area of focus will be how each of these cities prepare for and handle natural disasters.

The focus in the next academic year will be on new discoveries and science.

It will specifically examine the formation of our universe and natural phenomena.

The project then plans to look at "The Self and its Sources: Individualism and Community Responsibility," during the 1998/99 school year.