Sallyportal: Madly Blogging Reed

Profs vote to accelerate Hum 110 review

By the Hum 110 Faculty on November 01, 2016 09:08 AM

In the interest of keeping colleagues, students and staff informed about events initiated by the Black Reedies Matter movement that have specific bearing on the Humanities 110 course, we would like to share the following.

1) In the spring of 2016, pursuant to SCAPP’s survey of student satisfaction with Hum 110 and its own survey of Hum 110 faculty opinions, the Hum 110 faculty charged two sub-committees to work on revisions to the Hum 110 syllabus over the course of the summer of 2016. The work of the first committee, proposing more explicit study of gender, class and race in the ancient world, will be presented to and discussed by the Hum 110 staff during the first week of November. The work of the second committee, proposing the addition of the study of Islam, will be presented to and discussed by the Hum 110 staff during the second week of November. In the short term, the staff is discussing changes to the spring syllabus (in no way intended to foreclose on long term solutions).

2) At the conclusion of an open meeting between the BRM student leaders, the Hum 110 faculty, and many concerned students in the Student Union on October 6th, it was agreed that a committee of at least six volunteer Hum 110 faculty and six volunteer BRM students would meet regularly to discuss the best process for Hum 110 syllabus revision. Meetings will start in the first week of November.

3) On October 26th, the Hum 110 staff voted to ask CAPP to advance the date of the decennial review of the Hum 110 course from 2018 to 2017. With CAPP approval, the Hum 110 staff will begin drafting a review of the course this spring. CAPP and the Hum 110 staff will include widespread data gathering, soliciting from the entire faculty thoughts and suggestions regarding concerns and recommendations that might be especially important in reviewing the course. In addition to the current student evaluations for each faculty member/conference, the Hum 110 staff is also reviewing a draft of the student evaluation of the course as a whole.

4) At the December 5th faculty meeting the Hum 110 staff will provide the faculty with an account of the current Hum 110 syllabus.

5) The BRM has continued to stage sit-ins at the front of Vollum Lecture Hall during every Hum 110 lecture from September 28th to the present. This action is meeting with an evolving range of faculty and student reactions. Some are in agreement with both the goals the BRM are pursuing and the means they are using. Some agree with the goals, but not the means. Some support the means of protest, but not the BRM goals. Some support neither and have expressed the opinion that the lecture sit-ins distract from their ability to learn.

The Hum 110 faculty invites colleagues, staff and especially students to come and talk with any one of us at any time.

Tags: Hum 110