CONTENTS
Introduction to Proposal
The Proposal Preparation
Rationale for the Minor
Description of Minor
Administration of the Minor
Proposed Curriculum
Attachments
A. Proposed Curriculum
B. Proposed New Course Descriptions/Student Evaluations
C. Letter of Support from Susan Brynteson, The May Morris Director of
Libraries
D.
Letters of Support from
E. Email Post from Mark Huddleston, former Dean of Arts and Sciences
F. Comparison to Other Universities
Prepared by the Task Force on Sexualities and Gender Studies
Larry W Peterson, Music, and Richard Holland, Human Resources, Co-Chairs
Hilton Brown, Harriet T. Baily Professor, Museum Studies
Marian Palley, Director, Women’s Studies and Political Science
Julie Wilgen, Individual and Family Studies
Karen Rosenberg, Anthropology
Julian Yates, English
External Consultants
John G. Younger, formerly
coordinator for the
program for Gay and Bisexual
Studies; currently developing a similar program at the
Jonathan
Katz, Executive Director of the Larry Kramer Initiative for Lesbian and Gay
Studies,
The assumption in writing
this proposal is that most, if not all, readers will be scanning the
document. Thus, an outline format was
adopted to minimize the length of the narrative for the reader. Much important information may be found in
the attachments to the proposal.
It is the primary intent of the task force that the proposed
minor be academically rigorous and rooted in interdisciplinary studies. The task force feels that it is essential
that the proposed minor be viewed as a study of humankind and not as an
extension of “identity politics.” We
drew upon the strengths of the faculty at the
Attachment E (Comparisons to Other Universities) provides a partial listing of other institutions and specifies whether the university has a major, minor, program, center, certificate or concentration in sexualities and gender studies.
The
267: Cultural Introduction to Sexualities and Gender course offered last fall. The students who enrolled were primarily heterosexual including male and female in each of these
Proposal: Minor in Sexualities & Gender Studies, p. 3
categories: heterosexual, homosexual, transgender, and bisexual.
The proposed minor has evolved over the past two years. This is not the first time that the idea has
been pursued at the University. There
was a proposal submitted in 1995 to former Dean Mary P. Richards for a program
in LGBT Studies. After several meetings,
no further action was taken. The intellectual and social climate at the
Over the past thirty years, the study of sexualities and
gender issues has become a vital and active field of academic inquiry and
scholarly research. Professional
journals and periodicals in this field include Journal of Homosexuality,
Journal of Bisexuality, A Journal of
Lesbian and Gay Studies, Lambda Book Report, and The Gay &
Lesbian Review. Academic studies in
this field are now regularly published by university presses, e.g.,
In her letter of support (see Attachment D), Professor Wilgen who teaches IFST/WOMS/HESC 401 (one of the courses in the proposed curriculum) states that “I speak from experience when I say that students’ interest in the subject of sexual orientation and gender diversity is very high. Likewise, there is excellent support on campus for contributing to class lectures, panels, discussion groups and other interactive programming on these issues, which is consistent with the General Education Initiative Guidelines developed recently.”
The proposed minor is thus relevant and timely. The various components of a study of
sexuality—behavior; biological aspects; identity; roles; “affectional,”
romantic, and erotic orientations; social attitudes; human sexual development;
impact of homophobia and heterosexism on adolescent development; the different
ways to define gender—relate to multiple aspects of current living. The task force believes the proposed minor
would add an important dimension to the
in Women’s Studies, the lecture
series was advertised off-campus and drew audience members from as far away as
Students will begin with an introductory course (offered fall 2004 and again fall 2005) that provides an overview of the topic. The syllabus appears in Attachment B (ARSC 267 Cultural Introduction to Sexualities and Gender). Students will conclude their academic exploration with a capstone course that will be rigorous in readings and research. This course, yet to be offered, may be taught by a variety of faculty depending upon the particular semester or year the course is needed. In between the introductory and capstone courses, students will complete six hours of required courses and select six hours of electives. The curriculum appears in Attachment A. Five of the courses on this list already exist.
All courses that appear on the proposed curriculum were approved by the relevant department chairs and the faculty who plan to teach them. The professors who agreed to teach the courses that appear in Attachment A include Tammy Anderson (sociology), Julian Yates (English), Julie Wilgen (Individual and Family Studies), Larry Peterson (Music), Hilton Brown (Museum Studies), Richard Holland (Human Resources), Gary Ferguson (Foreign Languages), and Matthew Kinservik (English). Biology 152 (Biology of Human Sexuality) is taught by a variety of members of the Biology Department. Annie Lomax and her course are listed in Attachment A. She currently is on medical leave from the university. Her course is an elective and its absence will not affect the proposed curriculum significantly.
The administrator of the minor will report to the Dean of
the
The Minor in Sexualities and Gender will seek permanent course numbers for four of the courses in the curriculum. Also, a new program designation for these courses will be requested: SGST. Attachment A includes the proposed curriculum with descriptions of
each course. What is listed herein is a listing to give the reader a quick overview of the eighteen-hour curriculum:
Required Courses (12 hours)
Cultural
Introduction to Sexualities and Gender Studies (proposed permanent course:
SGST 201) 3 credits
SGST 410) 3 credits
Biology
152 (Biology of Human Sexuality) or
IFST/WOMS/HESC 401 (Foundations of Human Sexuality) 3 credits
WOMS
216 (Intro to Feminist Theory) or
WOMS 327 (Race, Gender, Science) 3 credits
Elective Courses (6 hours)
Research on Sexuality Issues (proposed permanent course: SGST 202) 3 credits
FLLT
320 ((Homo) Sexualities in Pre-Modern Europe) 3 credits
ENGL
214 (Literature & Gender/Sexuality) 3 credits
MSST
206 (Queer Sexual Imagery)
3 credits
ENGL
480 (Senior Seminar) 3
credits
IFST
338 (Sexuality in Contemporary Society) 3 credits
Introduction to Gay and Lesbian Film (proposed permanent course: SXGN 301)
It is possible that other WOMS courses may be used with the approval of the advisor when the course content includes substantive treatment of lesbian issues.
During the past two years, the lecture series (proposed SGST 202) and the
introductory courses (SGST
201) received support from the Office of
the Dean of the