Editorial- Featured in The Denisonian

Save Dr. Eric Saranovitz
By Dan Sweatt

When I decided to come to a school that provides a Liberal Arts education, my objective was not to be taught routinely by the same type of teacher. My idea of a Liberal Arts education was one that offered many options and many different types of teaching. For those that learn differently than others, having teachers with different styles is a must.
That’s why it boggles my mind that Eric Saranovitz has been treated the way that he has.
Is he unconventional? Sure.
Does his teaching style fail? Far from it.
I’m currently enrolled in my third class at Denison with Professor Saranovitz, which I believe says a lot about the kind of professor he is. My goal here was not to skate by. I enjoy learning and I enjoy being challenged. My classes with Professor Saranovitz have not only been challenging, but some of the most informative I’ve taken at this institution.
And now, a group of people who have never observed Professor Saranovitz teach are saying they know what’s best for my education. Following the 2009-2009 academic year, Professor Saranovitz will not be allowed to return to Denison, despite the support from the Communication department and several Communication majors and minors.
While I’m sure this group has my best interests at heart, they are simply anything but correct.
I have learned from Eric (he prefers Eric) because he is unorthodox. I can’t imagine sitting through classes where every teacher approaches material in the same way. That doesn’t engage me. That doesn’t help me learn. That stifles me as a learner. I take Eric’s classes because I am educated in a different kind of way; a way that is by no means worse than any other style of teaching.
I am aware that Eric is unorganized, as is he. He will be the first to tell you that he’s worked on becoming more organized, and I will be the first to tell you that the man has improved in the past two years greatly. I have taken classes with him in all three of my academic years here, and to not notice the improvement in this area would involve not looking hard enough at the man himself.
Unfortunately, I believe that’s exactly what’s happened here. Nobody on this committee took the time to look at Eric Saranovitz, the professor. They read a select sample of student reviews, they heard a few rumors about a different teaching style, and ran with it. It’s absurd that a professor that is so well liked and so talented is being cast away without the chance to even speak his case in front of the people that decide his fate.
I demand a reexamination of the case of Eric Saranovitz. He is a professor of great intellect, skill, and passion for his work, as evident by his ongoing struggle to keep his job. He also represents the very essence of a Liberal Arts education. He represents options, choices, and freedom to choose who we are educated by. In my eyes, and the eyes of many other students and professors, to let Eric Saranovitz leave this institution would be a slap in the face to the Liberal Arts title, the Communication department, and especially the student body.
I worked my butt off to get here. Let me have the choice who educates me.