quinas A C s o a l Thomas Aquinas College Newsletter m l e o g h e T Winter 2012 C 1 al 7 if 19 Volume 40, Issue 1 ornia - Constantly Learning Dr. Thomas Kaiser, First Tutor to Teach All 23 Courses in College Curriculum Because Thomas Aquinas College offers a fully integrated remind the students of what they already know and help curriculum, it is unique among American colleges and uni- them bring those things to bear on the conversation. versities in requiring its faculty members to teach not only in I think we have a terrific faculty that really has the their area of expertise, but in a wide variety of disciplines. At desire to tackle all the disciplines, and I especially see that the end of this semester, Dr. Thomas Kaiser, a senior tutor in the young tutors. They really push themselves hard to and a member of the Board of Governors, will be the first get to the various parts of the program, to take on courses tutor in the 40-year history of the College to have taught that are outside their area of expertise. There are several every one of the 23 courses in the College’s classical curricu- tutors who are not far behind me in terms of completing lum — language, logic, mathematics, music, natural science, the whole program, and some of them are very close. seminar, philosophy, and theology. A member of the College’s first graduating class in 1975, Does one need to be an expert in all disciplines Dr. Kaiser went on to earn his doctorate in biology at the in order to teach the breadth of the College’s curricu- University of California, Los Angeles. He returned to the lum? College as a tutor in 1982. Over the years he and his wife, lectually interested in what you are doing and constantly No. When most people hear that the tutors at Thomas Paula (Grimm ’75), have seen all 11 of their children come learning. That is one of the joys of teaching this program. Aquinas College teach the various parts of the curricu- to Thomas Aquinas College, with the youngest enrolling lum, they think that is a bit strange and maybe a bit pre- Would you say that it is essential for tutors to teach last fall. sumptuous. Part of the difficulty is they are thinking about across the curriculum for the program to work what happens at most universities, where the professors properly? Did you consciously set out to teach the entire cur- who teach the courses are real masters in what they are riculum, or did it happen organically over the course Yes, I think it is absolutely critical that the tutors teach teaching; they specialize in that particular area, and they of three decades? all the parts of the program, as much as possible. Because are the primary teacher. We do not consider ourselves I intended to teach the whole program when I came of the integrated nature of the program, what you do the primary teachers here, and that is part of what justi- back here as a member of the faculty. As a student I felt later depends on what you do earlier. So it is necessary fies our approach. We think that the authors of the great like I had only skimmed the surface of the material we for tutors to know the parts of the program as tutors, so works that we are reading are the primary teachers, and studied here. So one of the things I had in mind when I they know what the students have already learned. They we are just helping the students learn from them. So it is came back was to do it all over again and try to do it more can then help bring that to bear on the discussions the not quite as presumptuous as it might sound. deeply. students are having. I have found that tremendously I had the experience of being a teaching assistant helpful in class. How would you answer the critic who says, “I don’t while I was at UCLA, and I assisted with the same course An example is senior theology. Things that the stu- want my child to be taught by someone who is himself three times. One of the things I found somewhat dis- dents have studied in the language tutorial, for example, a learner? I want him to be taught by someone who is couraging was that the professor just took out his lecture modes of signifying; in logic; in natural science, especially the expert in a given subject?” notes and gave exactly the same lecture three years in a sophomore philosophy with the Physics and De Anima That is a good question. I would say that the tutors set row. I thought, “This must get awfully boring.” It seemed of Aristotle — those things all come to bear in theol- a good example for the students by making it clear that it would be much more enjoyable to keep yourself intel- ogy, especially in the Treatise on the Trinity. So you can continued on page 8 Walking for Life 2012 More than 200 Students Make Trip to San Francisco for West Coast March f Thomas Aquinas College students the Walk’s founding in 2005, more than Ihad wanted to skip this year’s Walk for two-thirds of the student body attended, Life West Coast, they would have had no joined by numerous members of the fac- shortage of excuses. ulty and all three of the College’s chap- Because the 50,000-person gather- lains. In His Providence, God provided ing took place on a Saturday, the walkers abundantly for all their needs. would have to endure a late drive and little The late-hour arrival in San Francisco sleep the night before in order to partici- proved to be a nonissue. After students pate. Lodging was scarce, as the church arrived they took part in all-night ado- that provided space in years past was ration vigils. When they slept it was on severely limited in its ability to do so again. basement and gymnasium floors provided With gas nearing $4 a gallon, money for by various parishes throughout the city. A the 350-mile trek was also tight, and the generous gift from the Chairman of the weather forecast predicted heavy rain. College’s Board of Governors, R. James Rev. Cornelius Buckley, S.J. served as the Inspired by these words, the students Yet the more than 200 Thomas Aqui- Wensley, and his wife, Germaine, paid for principal celebrant. Deacon Chris Sand- took to the streets of San Francisco. Joy- nas College students who participated most of the travel expenses, and donations ner, Respect Life Coordinator for the fully they marched, sang, and prayed, in in this year’s Walk were not interested from members of the faculty and staff cov- Santa Barbara Region of the Archdiocese stark contrast to the pro-abortion coun- in excuses. As they have every year since ered the rest. Finally, defying forecasters of Los Angeles, was the homilist. terdemonstrators who jeered from the and skeptics alike, the sun shone through- “Barely 120 days after Thomas Aqui- sidewalks and tried to obstruct their route. out the two-mile march from the Civic nas College opened its doors to welcome As in the past, the students also assisted Center to Justin Herman Plaza. its first students, the U.S. Supreme Court Walk organizers with security. It helped, of course, that the students heard legal arguments in the case of After spending another night in the were spiritually fortified for the annual Roe v. Wade,” said Deacon Sandner. “It City by the Bay, they made the long walk, held two days before the 39th anni- is no accident that this school has flour- return trip to campus, buoyed by the versary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Janu- ished during this same period, in large blessings of the day, confident in the just- ary 23, 1973, ruling in Roe v. Wade. The part because it so clearly, openly, and ness of their cause, and eager to resume previous weekend the College had hosted consistently opposed the direction the the studies that will prepare them for a a Mass for the Unborn, at which Chaplain nation has taken.” lifetime of defending the truth. From the Desk of the President Dr. Michael F. McLean’s Remarks at the Annual Christmas Appreciation Dinner e are gathered osity, for which all of us at the College are deeply grateful, “In the three years between my high school gradua- Wthis evening to and to the friendship and generosity of benefactors all tion and the time I arrived at Thomas Aquinas College, strengthen our friend- across the country. I engaged in a variety of entrepreneurial, community, ships, to thank God This past year, Lynda and I have traveled many miles, and educational activities. During that time, I pondered and our benefactors for including to Rome and Vienna, meeting friends of the deeply what an education is or should be, and what I the blessings they have College. Among these are many leaders of the Church. wanted from the academic life. I realized that the sort bestowed on Thomas Time and time again we have been edified and humbled of learning I craved consisted of a subject possessing real Aquinas College, and to by their warmth and generosity to us personally and by meaning and a method pushing me to discover and own anticipate joyfully the coming of our Savior.