By Grace Arenas
Elm Staff Writer
With the pressure to fulfill graduation and major requirements, registration can be a stressful time for students. Especially when, as some students this spring felt, they cannot get what they want.
When looking over the course schedule for fall semester, freshman Harris Allgeier felt his departments of interest had little variety.
“I felt we were very constrained in our options. Both English and Drama had very limited offerings,” he said.
Sophomore Rosie Mujica also thought that meeting major requirements was difficult.
“I feel like some departments had more selection than others. As a math major, I felt like there was a limited selection of math courses compared to English or science,” Mujica said.
In response to student concerns about meeting requirements, Dean Patrice DiQuinzio says students should try to be more flexible and take courses they may not have thought of.
“It can be frustrating, but you may end up taking something you really enjoy,” she said.
According to DiQuinzio, the individual departments select the courses that run each semester. Factors such as past enrollment and availability of rooms, for those courses like studio art and lab sciences which require specific resources, can affect whether or not the classes will be offered semester. Also, offered courses depend on which professors will be on sabbatical.
“Our professors are active scholars,” DiQuinzio said. “It’s a balancing act- we want our students to get the courses they need and want, while we also want to let faculty have the time to focus on the research that keeps them vibrant as teachers.”
Several students mentioned specific courses they want to see brought in to the curriculum.
“I wanted to study abroad in Egypt, which I can still do, but they suggest at least a year of Arabic, which we don’t offer,” said freshman Obella Obbo.
Freshman David Richardson commented that he wanted to see “more astronomy classes.”
DiQuinzio said, in cases like these, students should always “feel free” to talk to their department chairs.
“I think [department chairs] would be pleased that students are taking that level of interest in their education,” she said. She also suggests that students participate in the state of the majors’ survey online, which gives departments “more concrete feedback” on what courses and topics students would like to see included in the curriculum.
This year there are some new addi tions to the curriculum.
The music department is now offering Intro to World Music, taught by Dr. Jonathan McCollum, and Ethnomusicology: Latin America, taught by Dr. Kenneth Schweitzer.
Chair of the Music department Garry Clarke says that these courses will broaden the music curriculum to cover more than the “Western classical tradition.”
“There’s a lot of wonderful music out there, and we’re excited that students will be able to study a broader spectrum of styles and genres,” he said.
According to DiQuinzio the College Curriculum Committee, chaired by Dean Ames, has approved several new courses, including one in environmental sociology and a course on the history of the symphony that will appear on the schedule in coming semesters.
The inclusion of new courses is an important priority for the college.
“Sometimes the departments will decide they need to rethink what they’re offering,” said DiQuinzio. “There’s always more than one way to introduce students to a topic.”
April 15, 2011
Volume LXXXI Issue 22