Religion and science can coexist

To claim that “compromise” between faith and reason is “sickening” — as Justin Snow does in his recent column (“Slouching toward the truth”) — is just wrong. Religion has contributed much to science, from preserving the discoveries of the Greeks and Romans through the Dark Ages to the development of monastic and cathedral schools that would become the universities we know today.

Not only did religion help lay the foundation for the scientific revolution, but many early scientists were Christian. Both Blaise Pascal, well known for Pascal’s law in physics, and Robert Boyle, author of Boyle’s law, contributed as theologians. Many other notable scientists have been believers, such as Gregor Mendel, Louis Pasteur, Lord Kelvin, and Max Planck.

Many people would agree that creationism should not be taught in schools. However, belief in creationism is not necessary for a religious worldview, and belief in evolution does not preclude such a worldview. There is nothing in science that can prove evolution is not merely God’s tool for shaping the world.

Science is great at answering the question “how.” How do things work, how did things develop, how can we improve our world. It is not as good at answering the question “why.” For example, why is there a universe at all? This is where religion can step in. Religion can help humanity understand its place in the world, the meaning of life, and why striving to be a good person matters.

Both atheists and religious fundamentalists are wrong to demonize the other side. Such a view is ignorant, hateful and downright unscientific.

MICHAEL WELLEN

SOPHOMORE

BIOLOGY

The Counseling Center: A useful resource

Thank you for bringing the issue of the need for students to develop effective learning strategies to the awareness of the campus community in the April 6 staff editorial “Back to basics.”

The type of support you suggest in your editorial already exists on our campus.  The Learning Assistance Service, a division of this university’s Counseling Center, has been focused on students’ academic success since its inception 54 years ago. LAS works with students to develop college learning strategies that will help them maximize the time that they spend studying. In addition, we help students identify and overcome barriers to their academic success. Our trained academic counselors work with students one-on-one on such diverse issues as time management, procrastination, textbook reading strategies, note-taking, review and rehearsal strategies, math learning strategies and test-taking strategies. In addition, we have a number of credit-bearing college and career advancement courses (EDCP 108B, EDCP 108G, EDCP 108M and EDCP 108R) in which students can develop effective learning strategies. Finally, we provide academic success workshops and peer academic support programs. Our Guided Study Sessions provide peer-led active learning support for traditionally difficult courses in the sciences and math, and our Peer Assisted Learning program pairs up students with an academic peer mentor.

What we have found from our work is that many students, although successful in high school, underestimate the amount of time needed to be an effective college learner. Moreover, the types of learning strategies used in high school are not sufficient for college classes. Often, one or two sessions with an academic counselor or one semester in a class can help students develop solid learning strategies that will help them reach their academic goals.

This year alone more than 4,800 students have used one or more of our services, an increase of 40 percent from last year! The great thing about this is that all of our services are free to university students! It’s unfortunate that your editorial missed this important campus resource.

MARCY MARINELLI

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

COUNSELING CENTER