RE: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] April 1 jokes (was: network problem)

[Jonathan King <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On Mon, 4 Feb 2002, McNutt, Justin M. wrote:

> > > > Why, are you a Psyco-ology prof?
> > >
> > > Har, har.  Actually, they changed the name of our 
> > > department to (gag) Psychological Sciences.  I can tell you 
> > > are all *very* impressed.
> > 
> > Psychology *is* a science, so I guess the new name is 
> > repetitive.  I think the major cause for the change was 
> > that many undergraduate students believed that they could 
> > avoid Science (very difficult stuff!) by taking
> > courses in Psychology instead.  The new name "Psychological 
> > Sciences" will keep such lame students at a safe distance (maybe).
> 
> Is this change to the name in itself an application of psychology or
> sociology?  :-)

Neither.  The actual reason for the name change was to attempt to score
poliitical points, so I guess it would be politics, or, as it is 
more popularly known, "political science".  :-) 

In a nutshell, the Psychology Department has lots of undergrad majors and
brings in relatively large gobs of grant money; for these things we do
enjoy the smile of the dean as a result.  Some people think we are
under-appreciated, especially at higher levels of the system.  (You might
feel unappreciated, too, if you had spend an entire career in McAlester
Hall. :-))  Anyway, since name changes have to go through an elaborate
system-wide procedure, some thought that we could use the process to give
us an opportunity to catch some people up on what we were doing, why it
was science, etc., etc.  Also, the chair of the department likes the new
name.

jking



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