Written in response to the article "Sociology Fading" by Minda Story, which appeared in The Flip Side Volume 1, Issue 3 (November 26th - December 9th, 2003).

If Minda Story's article, "Sociology Fading", in the #3 issue of The Flip-Side is an example of the journalistic standards of this new publication, then perhaps the editorial staff should pack it in right now. The article is full of inaccuracies and misleading presentations of information.

Ms. Story paints a picture of a failing program, but what does she use for evidence? Her own problems getting into classes, and the off hand comment of one sociology professor during a class. She "was told" that sociology is a small program. Who told her? Sociology has more majors and minors PER FACULTY MEMBER than just about any other program on campus.

She claims our classes are getting filled up with non-majors and minors because no seats are saved. This is false and inaccurate in three ways:

First, we do hold seats open for majors and minors. Every semester an e-mail is sent out to all majors and minors informing them of this, and that a simple visit to the departmental office will allow them to fill these seats. No need to "pull strings" as Story suggests.

Second, our classes are mostly filled with majors and minors, with non-majors and minors taking up relatively few seats.

Third, we do have courses that are restricted to majors and minors, or that give no GE credit. This list includes courses such as Social Movements and Sociologcal Theory, among others.

Ms. Story complains that she had trouble getting classes in the major, and this is a fair complaint. Our students are having problems, but not for the reasons she cites in her article. Our program has grown in the past few years. In October of 2001 we had 92 majors, 106 minors, and 41 family study minors (the program is housed in Sociology). In October of 2003 we had 90 majors, 142 minors, and 63 family study minors. This is an increase of 56 students, and that's 23% more students looking for seats in our classes in just 2 years. Hardly a sign of a fading program!