10/21 Why does chemistry deserve its own college, while other science fields
like physics, biology, CS, etc. are all cramped together in one college
which also houses the arts fields?
\_ I'm not really sure, but I'm betting on "historical reasons."
\_ Cursory research indicates that the CoC was one of the early
colleges. While some colleges (CivE, Mechanics, Mining, etc) have
since combined into larger colleges such as the CoE, the CoC has
never done so. It looks like the decision to merge was made by
the various colleges, not by the university, so it's not like
there was some sort of decree to merge down. Incidentally, UCB
has 14 colleges/schools, so it's not like chem is the only small
college on campus. -gm
\_ Why does it matter? I'd prefer my department not waste resources
supporting an entire 'college' and instead share administrative
and other non-academic duties with other fields leaving more time
and resources for academics. And isn't that what it is all about?
What do you see having a "college" does for Chem students that
'merely' being in a 'cramped' department with all those 'arts'
people doesn't do for all those non-Chem students? Of all the
things I could bitch about my time at Cal, Chem having it's own
College never came to mind.
\_ I was in L&S, but I had a friend in Chemistry. It was much
easier for him to deal with his college in all aspects. As
you know, dealing with L&S is crazy. Even dealing with
the College of Engineering (when I had to) was easier than
L&S. L&S has so many students. The details are fuzzy, but I
know that CoC provided services that L&S did not.
\_ I agree that L&S was a busy place but you only need 2 things
to get anything you want from them: 1) you have to make
friends with any one guidance person/advisor and 2) you must
understand that any and every rule can be broken if someone
is willing to sign off on it; see item #1 above.
\_ Berkeley is the only university in the U.S. to have a College of
Chemistry. It's for historical and political reasons. Certainly
in any sane organization, Chemistry would be under L&S. -tom
\_ What's the political reason please?
\_ Once a unit has autonomy, it never wants to give it up. -tom
\_ College of CHemistry is number #1 in the world. so they get lots of
money from the oil companies. - chemical engineer
\_ Would they get less money if everything else was the same except
they were under L&S? Would CS get more if it was the College of
CS?
\_ Why does a Physics major get a BA while an Engineer get a BS?
\_ Who cares? Once you graduate you're either going some place that
can spell "Berkeley" or you're not. If you're not it won't
matter which degree you have. If they can spell it, they already
know the program and understand and don't care.
\_ Traditionally, I think it was Trade vs. Knowledge.
\_ What's worse is that a Computer *Science* major gets an AB while
a Business Admin major gets a BS.
\_ "BS" is appropriate.
\_ lol!
\_ aol |