Houston,
10
February
2021
|
11:35 AM
America/Chicago

Arts & Sciences Launches New Blog, Articulates New Mission Statement

Arts & Science webpage banner photoUST’s Arts & Sciences Division has launched a new weekly blog that will soon become a valuable resource for those within and beyond the University. The posts will be penned by authors from the School of Arts & Sciences with the first item — “What is Catholic Education?” — written by Dr. George Harne, executive dean.

Harne reflects on this new resource. “This blog will be a place where we can contemplate our mission as a university that is both devoted to a liberal education and to being a place that prepares our students to thrive professionally in postgraduate life,” Harne said.

“The emphasis on the blog will be questions and topics that are perennial,” Harne said. “Too often educational leaders can become caught up in the latest fads, trends, jargon, and demands of the moment, losing sight of the principles that should guide us over generations. As an institution born from the heart of the Church, animated by liberal learning and ordered to the flourishing of our students, we cannot afford to lose our way. We need to be true to our founding mission, thereby becoming a light to our city, state and nation.”

Arts & Sciences Articulates New Mission Statement

In addition to the new blog content, Arts & Sciences has articulated a new mission statement.

It begins: The animating vision of the School of Arts and Sciences originates from UST’s undergraduate core curriculum. This core integrates the classical liberal arts within an order of study that aims ultimately at human flourishing in this life and the next. The University seeks to guide students to an integrated vision of reality that is illuminated by faith and reason.” Read the complete statement here.

“As we prepare to reaffirm the core of the university and integrate it more fully in the majors and professional programs,” Harne said, “it seemed a good time to re-articulate our mission as the School of Arts and Sciences. It is not intended as a final statement but rather a place to begin a larger conversation within the School and the University.”

Also Listen to Arts & Sciences Podcast: Spelunking with Plato

When visiting the Art & Sciences blog page, visitors have an opportunity to also listen to the podcast, “Spelunking with Plato,” hosted by Harne. This program offers conversations with faculty and friends of the University who can help listeners to see more clearly the truth of things and devote their lives to the pursuit of Wisdom. Ten episodes have been produced thus far and include: “Dante and the Odyssey of Liberal Education” and “On Lying for a Living and the Ontology of Arithmetic.”