The Faculty of Religious Studies may need more than divine intervention to survive
On a cool evening last October, theologian Douglas Hall delivered an erudite lecture in the University Chapel entitled, "A Modest Science: Is there a need for Christian theology in the contemporary secular university?" He first outlined opposing arguments, chiefly that what is studied in the university must be verifiable and, secondly, that the reputation of Christianity has been tarnished because of its existence in the Western world as a political power. "It is important that theology is set within a university context or it can be reduced to just sentimentality or ideology."
In a second lecture the following day, he cited ways that Christian theology could serve McGill, based on the wisdom inherent in the tradition. Hall declared that the role of a university is to be a critical force in society and analyze what's going on in an unbiased way, but that a quest for usefulness has overtaken the quest for truth in higher education. Christian theology could help the university maintain or regain its critical thought, he postulated. Hall maintained that one goal of a university education, the development of reason, involves more than technical reason ņit is also a contemplative process, a quality inherent in theology. And lastly, Hall proposed that higher education should be a service informed by love. "We can't expect a university to love, but we can expect them to be places which do not impede love from forming. "
These three successive 1995 Birks Lectures were a gentle protestation of sorts. Hall's position in Christian theology was not filled upon his retirement last summer, and no search committee has been formed to search for a new Dean of Religious Studies when incumbent Donna Runnalls ends her term in the spring.
The Faculty, with its 177 students, 14 full-time professors and charming library, appears to be a victim of the serious budget cuts underway at McGill. A new document put out by Principal Bernard Shapiro, Towards a New McGill: Some Preliminary Thoughts, proposes, among many other things, that only faculties capable of generating the revenues required to sustain themselves would be supported.
Unlike the Faculty of Dentistry, which was threatened with closure a few years ago, it is unlikely the Faculty of Religious Studies could raise the capital necessary to mount a survival campaign. Only $200,000 of its $2.3 million target for The Twenty-First Century Fund has been raised and its major priority, a $1.5 million endowed Chair in Ethics, is without a donor. (Only the Faculty of Education is faring worse, with $1.9 million of its $4.1 million goal realized. By contrast, Medicine and Dentistry have exceeded their goals.) Though the Faculty of Religious Studies educates students quite cheaply ($4,030 compared to $4,474 for an arts student) it appears the Faculty will become a department under the Faculty of Arts. "The coreissue has to do with the administration of the theological program and academic autonomy," says Dean Donna Runnalls. The Faculty, in conjunction with the Joint Board of Theological Colleges, trains clergy for the Anglican, United and Presbyterian traditions. (Jewish Studies and Islamic Studies are separate departments.) The exact fate of the Faculty of Religious Studies, while yet to be announced, is part of the very serious government budget cuts facing McGill. According to Principal Bernard Shapiro, it is possible that grant cuts may be twice the size of past cuts, perhaps $15 million next year for McGill.
As part of the process, Principal Shapiro's position paper
outlines current realities facing McGill and sets forth
ideas for the future including: more income derived from
higher tuition fees and private giving, a smaller student
population with highly selective standards, a common first-
year curriculum to build cohesiveness, the requirement
that McGill students be bilingual or trilingual and spend
one-semester abroad, a 10-to-1 student-teacher ratio and
greater use of information technologies in teaching.
One of the most beautiful buildings on the McGill campus is the Faculty Club, at 3450 McTavish, just up from Sherbrooke Street. Built in two parts in 1880 and 1903 by Alfred Baumgarten, the founder of the St. Lawrence Sugar Refining Company, the house was part of Montreal's famed Golden Square Mile. It was sold to McGill in 1935 and, for a time, was the Principal's residence becoming the Faculty Club.
In these modern times, the McGill Faculty Club is facing some stiff competition from many other private clubs in the area. Although the Faculty Club receives a yearly subsidy from McGill, it must earn most of its revenues from business operations, including lunches, business meeting and weddings. The Faculty Club Council has taken recent steps to ensure its future. President Pat Wells, DipPT'56, BPT'71, MSc(App)'80, a professor of physiotherapy, remembers being taken to lunch her first day at McGill and falling in love with the building. She's currently found that many people would like to use the Club but feel they don't know enough people there. Quick to the mark, Wells is now arranging a number of social events for specialized groups, such as young professors and retirees. The council is also extending special memberships to alumni and community members. Maintenance of the historic sight is a concern. Recently, restoration architect Julia Gersovitz, BSc(Arch)'74, BArch'75, of the Montreal firm Gersovitz Becker Moss, was retained to prepare a report on refurbishing the Faculty Club. "It is an extremely valuable building," she says. "It is not classified as a monument but it should be. It would be a delight to work on this building."
Many members of the McGill community can be credited for
working hard to make the Faculty Club worthy of its wing
chairs.
Dear Colleagues,
Like all of us, you are wondering this morning about the
implications of yesterday's referendum, not only for
Quebec and Canada, but for yourselves and for McGill. Many
of you have asked me to respond to the question "what will
happen to McGill"? My reply is as simple as it can be
under the circumstances: I cannot stress enough how
confident I am that this great University will weather the
current uncertainty and that our contribution will be even
more important to the future of our society than it has
been in the past.
As we focus on continuing to attract outstanding students and as we take pride in the stimulating intellectual climate which is so much a part of our daily lives, I am convinced we shall become an even more exciting place to study and conduct research. As an internationally- recognized university whose worldwide links have much to offer this community, we shall continue to reach beyond our borders to set ourselves the very highest standards of excellence comparable to the best universities in North America and beyond.
In 1996 McGill will celebrate its 175th anniversary. I believe this period of almost two centuries - some of it predating Confederation - has helped us mature as an institution. Given the quality of our current students and staff, the inspiration of our long traditions and the support of generous and far-sighted graduates and friends, McGill will continue to be a leader in constructing a promising future for us all.
Let us keep focused on the tasks at hand.
Yours Sincerely,