Human Sexuality in Everyday Life
Thursdays, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Beginning January 29, 2009
10 Sessions
The seminar on Human Sexuality in Everyday Life will be held during Spring Semester 2009. The sessions are facilitated by Professor Emeritus Dennis Dailey, Social Welfare Department.
This popular KU class is offered at ECM for noncredit. The cost is $35 for students and $45 for non-students.
Course Objectives:
There are lots of interesting things about Universities, but two stand out. First, the University represents an important "stopping over" place for many persons who are making transitions from youth and family to preparation for adulthood and self-directed life These years are important development years in which one grows and makes decisions that impact on the rest of life (there is life after college). A second interesting aspect of the University is that it has two very distinct curriculum. One has to do with intellectual and cognitive development, and the search of vocation. The "second curriculum" is much more informal, yet equally provocative and essential to growth. This curriculum address interpersonal and social growth in which "friends and lovers" play a crucial role. More of this latter curriculum needs to be a part of the formal curriculum, and thus courses in human sexuality take on real importance. It is now a confirmed fact that students do not leave their sexuality behind when they come to the University; they just bring it along with them (despite what many parents and other adults believe or hope for).
This course is designed with the realities of the college aged person in mind, with a focus on how sexual development has occurred thus far in their lives, how it is presently being experienced and expressed, and what might occur in the continuous development of healthy adult sexuality (the myth that you are over the hill at 50 never was true). Too many adults, including parents and potentially many students as this university, will experience devastating sexual dysfunctions in their lifetimes, and this course is directed to the reduction of such experiences. Masters and Johnson (the famous sex researchers) estimate that as many as 50% of adults in relationships will experience such sexual dysfunctions. That is a lot of hurt that costs self-esteem and the quality of loving bonds, and can lead to the end of the relationship (50% divorce rate).
The perspective taken in this course is a developmental one that views the physical, psycho-social, emotional, and spiritual aspects of human sexuality as integrative and essential to a full understanding and a healthy expression. Students will be able to use this experience to sort out their attitudes, beliefs, and feelings about their own sexuality, and enhance their knowledge about human sexual function and dysfunctions. Three primary questions will the course for students:
- How did I get to be the sexual being I am today, for good or ill?
- Am I satisfied with the present state of my attitudes and knowledge about sexuality, and its expression in my life?
- Do I want my adult sexuality to be characterized by sexual health and growth towards optimizing my potential as a human being?
- Dr. Dennis Dailey
ECM Endorses Human Sexuality Professor Dennis Dailey
The board of directors for Ecumenical Christian Ministries released a letter of support for Dennis Dailey, KU Professor in Spring 2003. This was in response to criticism of Dailey from some members of the Kansas state legislature.
Dailey, professor of social welfare, had been the target of unfounded allegations regarding his teaching of a KU course on human sexuality. He also teaches a community-version of the human sexuality course for ECM.
Thad Holcombe, director of ECM, said, "From everything we know about Dennis Dailey, these charges are unwarranted. We have witnessed Professor Dailey to be an exceptional teacher and a thoughtful Christian and academic who is unafraid to address sensitive subject matter for the benefit of our community."
The religious organizations who sponsored Dailey's course in 2003 were ECM (United Church of Christ, Presbyterian Church USA, Church of the Brethren and the Religious Society of Friends, Lutheran (ELCA) Campus Ministry, Hillel Foundation (Jewish), First Presbyterian College Ministry, and United Methodist Campus Ministry.
7 May 2003
Ann T. Weick, Dean
Department of Social Welfare
1545 Lilac Lane
Lawrence, KS 66044
Dear Ann,
I am writing to you today on behalf of the Ecumenical Christian Ministries board of directors. As you may know, Human Sexuality In Everyday Life, is offered as a non-credit course though the Sexuality Education Committee (S.E.C.) at KU. This registered student organization is supported by the following campus ministries: Ecumenical Christian Ministries (United Church of Christ, Presbyterian Church USA, Church of the Brethren and the Religious Society of Friends), Canterbury House (Episcopal), Lutheran Campus Ministry (ELCA), United Methodist Campus Ministry, Hillel Foundation, First Presbyterian College Ministry, and St. John the Baptist’s Independent Catholic. The course itself takes place at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries center. It is a ten week course, meeting two hours every week during the spring semester.
Human Sexuality In Everyday Life (HSEL) has been offered for at least six years. Professor Dailey has also offered workshops on “Intimacy for Committed Couples.” Again, we along with the other campus ministries have sponsored these opportunities for students and others. Approximately 500 participants have enrolled in these offerings. We are very careful to ask that written evaluations be completed by participants. Over the years, the evaluations rate the class and workshop as very positive, with very few exceptions.
I personally attended every session of HSEL for two consecutive years. I still sit in on some of the presentations as do other campus ministers. My daughter has attended some of the sessions and I recommend both offerings to couples when I meet with them for pre-marital counseling.
ECM is in support of academic freedom and Dennis Dailey. We also want to be very clear that we understand our sponsorship of Human Sexuality in Everyday Life is integral to our mission as a ministry. ECM affirms that human sexuality while including the gift of procreation capacity is most importantly God’s invitation “to find our destinies not in loneliness but in deep connection. To the degree that it is free from the distortions of unjust and abusive power relations, we experience our sexuality as the basic eros of our humanness that urges, invites, and lures us out of our loneliness into intimate communication and communion with God and the world.” (Dr. James Nelson, Sexuality and the Sacred, edited by Nelson and Longfellow). It is through our sexuality that we physiologically and emotionally express our capacity to love.
It may also be helpful to know that Professor Dailey is an active member of First United Methodist Church in Lawrence. During the time with us he has always been available to meet with any person taking the non-credit course and has referred to me those desiring counsel.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding our position.
Sincerely,
Thad Holcombe