Bush nominates two University professors to humanities council

For national acclaim to grace a professor’s career is a novelty, one many never achieve. To have the president of the United States acknowledge a professor for his or her work puts the professor and the affiliated institution in a whole new realm. Such is the case for two IU professors, each from the College of Arts and Sciences.\nPresident Bush granted both Jamsheed Choksy and David Hertz nominations to serve on the U.S. National Council on Humanities. If confirmed by the Senate, each will serve a six-year term beginning Jan. 27.\nChoksy and Hertz represent two of the six nominees proposed by President Bush to serve on the Humanities Council. Headed by chairman Bruce Cole under the National Endowment for the Humanities, the council seeks to distribute proposed grants to institutions that have applied for the funds to teach humanities, the study of human culture. \n“They can range from small libraries in Guam,” Hertz said, “to large museums.”\nHertz, having already served a term on the council, said all six members must attend several annual meetings in Washington, D.C., where the council acts as an advisory board. The chairman takes their decision into consideration, but doesn’t always implement it. In a sense, the council recommends a certain decision, which is then considered at a higher tier in the hierarchy. The council never has the last word on any issue, and council members only offer their professional advice. \n“Yet to have two nominees from the same university on the council says something about the IU program,” said Bennett Bertenthal, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “It’s a further indication of how outstanding the institution stands.”\nChoksy and Hertz stand out from the crowd in more ways than one. Hertz works within the comparative literature department, teaching a music class on lyrics and popular song, as well as a literature class on Marcel Proust. Hertz is also a pianist and composer, which adds a dimension to his music class few other professors are able to replicate. \nOn occasion, the original French text of Proust’s 3,000-page novel will surface in his literature class, which is not a problem for Hertz. French is one of three languages he studies. \n“The way he bridges the different arts is rich,” said Raina Polivka, his teaching assistant. \nChoksy’s research is on the opposite side of Hertz’s work. Choksy holds several titles within the College of Arts and Sciences. His current research focuses on the development of sectarian communities in Central Asia, the Near East and South Asia. His research involves interdisciplinary approaches to anthropology, archaeology, languages, linguistics, literatures, numismatics (the study of currency and its history) and religious studies.\nBoth professors declined to comment in detail about the nominations until their nomination is made official through Senate confirmation, but Choksy said he would be honored if the nomination were confirmed.\n“It would be a very interesting and humbling experience to witness firsthand the NEH,” he said. “I’m looking forward to fulfilling the obligation to work hard for the continued flourishing of the humanities.”