Geo or Bio?

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"Paleontology" at UCLA, an upper division course in the Department of Earth
and Space Sciences, now attracts 80-100 students per year. About a quarter
to one third are Geology majors, some are from Anthropology, but most are
premed students majoring in Biology. A large increase in enrollments
occurred over the past several years as upwardly mobile young persons moved
from business management and law into biomedical careers. As was pointed
out by Rob Ross, a disadvantaage is the very different backgrounds of the
students. However, we are used to that from our large (300+ students)
General Education courses in paleontology which are offered two or three
times a year to students in the College of Letters and Science.
Undergraduate paleontology courses at UCLA play a major role in keeping the
Earth and Space Sciences department afloat!


>>Dr. Poulton makes a good point. Could people who have experience with
>>cross-posting their courses please describe its advantages and
>>disadvantages?
>>
>><poulton@gsc.NRCan.gc.ca> wrote (9/10/97),
>>>The placement of paleo in either geology or biology departments would seem to
>>>have some importance, considering anecdotal evidence that cross-posting paleo
>>>courses offered by geology departments in some universities in the biology
>>>departments has significantly increased enrolments and allowed for new
>>>staffing. Another factor would be the individual attitudes of managers in
>>>each department, suggesting that opportunities arise where there is a
>>>favorable climate.
>>
>>Andrew K. Rindsberg                     Telephone (205) 349-2852
>>Curator, Paleontological Collection     Telefax (205) 349-2861
>>Geological Survey of Alabama            <arindsberg@ogb.gsa.tuscaloosa.al.us>
>>P.O. Box O
>>Tuscaloosa, AL 35486-9780, USA
>
>
>
>-----------------------------------------------
>Robert M. Ross
>Director of Education
>Paleontological Research Institution
>1259 Trumansburg Road
>Ithaca, NY 14850
>U.S.A.
>phone 607 273 6623 ext 18
>FAX 607 273 6620
>e-mail rmr16@cornell.edu

Bruce Runnegar
University of California
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
+1 310 206 1738 (voice/voicemail)
+1 310 825 0097 (fax)