Hundreds of students came to their introductory political science lecture at Gregory Hall last Thursday to find something missing —Ýtheir professor, Alan Arwine.

Arwine was terminated on Sept. 8 for failing to perform his duties as an academic advisor, said Peter Nardulli, head of the political science department.

"I repeatedly asked him to spend a minimum of 20 hours a week to take appointments and meet with students," Nardulli said. "His meeting time with students averaged about four to five hours a week."

The department now has one full-time advisor and one part-time advisor to serve 950 to 1,000 political science majors, minors and double majors, said undergraduate studies secretary Lynn Charters.

Nardulli said Arwine was contributing to a "backup" among students in need of advisor appointments.

"I met with the advisory committee on Sept. 8 and asked them what we should do," he said. "Their advice was to go to an immediate termination because he simply wasn't performing his duties."

Arwine said the notice of termination came as a shock. While he believes the charge against him is "not true," Arwine said he would rather work through the termination hearings than try the charge in public.

"I don't know the exact process, but I believe that the process will be fair and balanced," he said.

In the meantime, Arwine has been suspended from teaching and locked out of his office. He said it is unlikely that he will get the chance to directly address his students.

Political Science 150, which meets in lecture twice a week, is the only course Arwine taught. The course is now being team-taught by a group of other political science professors. Professors teaching the course include coordinator James Kuklinski, Ira Carmen, Thomas Rudolph, Andrea Campbell, Paul Quirk, Brian Gaines, Tracy Sulkin, Scott Althaus and Paul Diehl.

Sophomore in LAS Chad Hart said he has his doubts about the effectiveness of a team-taught lecture.

"Even in the first lecture, (Arwine) seemed like a really good lecturer," Hart said. "I do wonder about the quality of the course because the other profs specialize in different things and they teach at different levels than what this class is for."

Hart also said students were given a new syllabus for the course.

Arwine said some of his students contacted him by e-mail with negative opinions about the new lecture.

"It's harder to tie things together when you have a different person teaching each topic," Arwine said. "I'm not very encouraged from what I've heard about (Thursday's lecture)."

He added that his primary concern is for the "continued quality of advising, counseling and education" of political science students.

Kuklinski said he will make sure the class runs well. He had no further comments.