Story and Photos by Taylor Schefstrom
Since finding out that University of Oregon political science professor Ken DeBevoise was being phased out of his department, UO senior David Delmar has worked to keep the professor a Duck. Delmar is a member of the Keep Ken Coalition, a group of students, parents, and alumni that has rallied to do exactly what their title says. The success and, as Delmar explains in the following Q&A, the administration’s reception of the group have both been mixed. Ethos spoke with DeBevoise and Delmar about why the professor’s presence on campus is important to the UO.
Taylor Schefstrom: How did the Keep Ken Coalition get off the ground?
David Delmar: I remember there was first the rumor that Ken was being phased out. I heard it everywhere; people seemed really angry about it. Then we had some truly incredible students step in and form the Coalition. It got off the ground through the relentless efforts of those passionate students, beginning with letter writing campaigns, the crafting of a website, and fashioning t-shirts. Our numbers skyrocketed as soon as the announcement of Ken’s being phased out became official.
TS: How many students are involved?
DD: The numbers game with the Coalition can be misleading. On the Facebook site there are officially over 400 members, but the number of students who would oppose letting Ken go extends beyond that. There are many of his former students that may have not even heard about this ordeal yet; many of them would immediately join the Coalition if they were aware. Suffice it to say, student opposition to this is really huge.
TS: Have you been surprised by the response? Why or why not?
DD: Absolutely. I knew Ken was loved, and that he was an exceptional teacher, but I had no idea how passionate students were about his courses. The dedication of the members of the Keep Ken Coalition has been incredible; it has blown me away.
TS: The Coalition has held meetings with Political Science Department Head Lars Skalnes and Vice Provost Russell Tomlin regarding Professor DeBevoise’s job. What was your goal with these meetings and what were the results?
DD: The meeting with Skalnes was really early on. It was during the formative stages of this whole issue. All we aimed for in that meeting was to inquire about the reasons for the decision and possible ways to change it. The result was horrifying. Skalnes treated us very rudely. He basically told us we had no business trying to interfere with this decision. That meeting propelled our movement forward; it lit a fire underneath us and we really hit the ground running.
Our meeting with Tomlin was incredible. We were extremely grateful to him, not only for hearing us out, but for treating us with respect and for promising to look into the matter. I feel the result of that meeting was really good. We gave Tomlin a chance to do something really great for UO undergraduate education. We really hope he takes advantage of it.
TS: What, if anything, has surprised you about the administrations response to the Keep Ken Coalition?
DD: At first I was appalled by its unresponsiveness. I was similarly appalled at our treatment by [Political Science Department Head] Skalnes. It just seemed odd to me that this decision was being treated as a difficult one. It is simple: you have an extremely effective professor who students absolutely love. What is the issue? At an academic university, this should be a no-brainer. You find the funding available to rehire the professor and it’s a done deal. Letting him go would be tragic and would make zero sense. Lately, though, it seems that the UO administration is starting to listen to us. We are really happy about that.
TS: At this point do you think the Coalition will be successful and Professor DeBevoise will continue to teach at the UO?
DD: I am highly optimistic. People seem really energized by our issue. The media coverage we have received has been really great. We’ve even been featured in the Oregonian and on the Lars Larson Show. Tomlin seems like a really great guy and I think our movement really touched him. I feel like there is a good chance we might actually triumph in this. It would be a triumph for UO undergraduate education.
TS: What makes Professor DeBevoise different? Why are you working to keep him at the UO?
DD: He’s an exceptional teacher. His teaching style is way beyond the typical lecture approach. It is innovative, engaging, and effective. Students read 75 pages per night, every night for 10 weeks in order to survive his courses. That kind of rigor is simply unheard of here. He’s also exceptionally devoted to students, unlike your average tenured researcher. He routinely holds classes far beyond the scheduled ending time. He even sends out a hefty list of news articles from around the world every single night to a large list of current and former students in an effort to keep them informed. What’s best is that he challenges students to think critically and be analytical unlike any teacher I have ever had before.
TS: What was your first course with Professor DeBevoise? What did you learn from that class?
DD: I met Ken during the second quarter of my first year at the UO. After the absolute ease of my first quarter and the feeling of wasted time that pervaded me, I decided to sign up for his Afghanistan course after reading the notoriously scary syllabus. I was blown away by the difficulty at first, but I immediately recognized the value of Ken’s teaching. It was engaging and immersive. I learned Afghan history, culture, society, geography and politics – both past and modern. That course actually changed the way I looked at politics forever by opening my eyes to a world of information I never even knew existed. I also learned that if I wanted a real education, classes with Ken DeBevoise were the way to go. This is something that countless other students have realized as well.
TS: During your time at the UO, how many classes have you taken with Professor DeBevoise? Why do you continue to take classes with him?
DD: I’m currently enrolled in my sixth course with Ken. I take them because they make me feel energized about my education. I take them because I learn an immense amount – not only about the course subject, but also critical thinking, debate and writing. I take them because they’re simply top notch; they’re way beyond anything else offered in the Political Science department. They’re the result of a man who has spent 30 years perfecting the art of instruction. It shows.
There is no boring and ineffective lecturing with Ken. The class is centered on huge loads of reading and then debate. Basically, you take from the class as much as you put into it and you are forced to work consistently hard for ten straight weeks. It cannot be overemphasized how many skills you refine and how much knowledge you gain from one of Ken’s courses.
TS: Where are you headed after graduation?
DD: After I graduate I am headed to Law School. I owe this decision entirely to my experience with Ken at the UO. Without having taken his courses, I would probably have no plans for my post-college existence. Taking his courses really energized me; I now have a passion for learning that I had never known before. I am incredibly grateful.
On August 28, 2010, the Keep Ken Coalition announced Professor DeBevoise will be retained at the UO during the 2010-2011 school year.
