Post Author: Stephanie Strong
Page 78 from the 1970 edition of the Bluestone not only provides insight into who the instructors of political science actually were in 1970, but also provides information about how the department operated. Perhaps most fascinating, “one of the most interesting aspects of the political science department [was] the student advisory board” which was, essentially, a liaison organization between the students and the faculty. The goal was to discuss topics of interest for both parties in an effort to keep the department relevant and ensure that all students needs were met. Internationalism was also a concern for the department. The Bluestone editors were sure to note that many of the professors were educated abroad in foreign studies. These unique educational experiences allowed the department to offer the breadth of courses in foreign politics for which it would one day be known.
By 1975 the department had added two faculty members to their total. The department would remain at a total of eight faculty members throughout the decade.
Unfortunately, information regarding the political science faculty of James Madison University during the 1970’s is sparse. One of the only available sources of information, besides images in the Bluestone yearbook, are the memoirs of Dr. Paul Cline. Dr. Cline provides insight into the life of a professor at Madison outside the classroom. His writings in their entirety are available here.
Click on any of the images on this page to be directed to their respective editions of the Bluestone in its entirety.
Works Cited:
The Bluestone. Vol. 62. Harrisonburg: Madison College, 1970. Print.
The Bluestone. Vol. 67. Harrisonburg: Madison College, 1975. Print.
The Bluestone. Vol. 71. Harrisonburg: Madison College, 1979. Print.