Are Cutbacks In Faculty A Reality?

ticklemepink
Wed, 15 Mar 2006 11:32:38 +0000

TD- I can back you up on the History department.

There ARE gaps and holes in their curriculum for the major. A student must take 5 courses in her field (Africa, Europe, Latin America, whatever, even “Colonial Revolutions” or women’s, dream!). It also must include a 400-level seminar. The other 5 can be anything. Just as long at least there is a course in US or Latin American History, European History, and Asian or African history.

Problem: If the student wants to “major” in Latin American history as her field, then she will have her two survey courses and a seminar- all by the same professor. Then she would have to look elsewhere for her other two classes within 5 college or from abroad. Of course, from time to time, that professor will teach a coloquium. And 5 courses of the major MUST be taught at Smith. Also, depends on the students’ interests and the kind of courses that being offered in the next two-three years can make a difference on whether she will be able to finish her history major at all.

The requirements for the major are pretty tough for such limited course offerings, especially if the department is heavily driven towards US History (okay in European). There is only one professor each for Latin America, Africa, Middle East (very, very broad), ancient, and China/Japan. My advisor told me that the department really wanted to hire a professor for Southeast Asia (like India) because so many of their students had to take a religion course on Buddhism in order to learn more about Indian history. The department has had to be pretty flexible about cross-listing courses in order to help the students meet the minimum requirements for the major. Those are the “holes” that we’re talking about- the requirements for the major is too much for the department’s current offerings.

Just a lot of talking and double-checking.