 Media Credit: UIC Classics Department The Classics Department at UIC is in a pivotal moment in its history. What does that mean for you?
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According to Department Head John Ramsey, the Classics Department at UIC is "in a period of what's best called transition." Some might call it a struggle for survival.
The department offers language courses in Latin, Ancient and Modern Greek and Arabic. None of their courses are large lecture courses, and most of the teaching is done by full faculty. Because the dept. has no graduate program, TAs do not staff their courses. As a result, "students are getting the finest education from some of the best-trained people. Our courses span a wide range: art and archaeology, ancient religion, Middle Eastern studies, Islamic studies," he says. "For such a small department we cover a very broad spectrum."
Last year, however, administrators at UIC approached the department and asked that the Greek and Latin major be suspended. "They urged us to come up with a plan that will allow us to include all of our majors under one tent. Previously we had three majors (Greek, Latin, and Classical Civilization); in the future we plan to have one combined major. The goal is to design a major that will expand the Classical Civilization major. Under the new name Classical Studies, students who want to study literature in English translation can continue do so, while students wanting to study Ancient Greek or Latin in more depth will be permitted to substitute for in-translation courses three to five upper-level language courses to earn either high or highest distinction," says Dr. Ramsey.
As to why they were asked to suspend their majors, Ramsey says: "The discontinuation of the teaching of Ancient Greek at UIC after this year has been presented to the department as a step being taken in response to low enrollments. The dept. has tried to address that issue in a positive way. We've adopted a new textbook. Last spring we did lots of advertising for the first-year course. We've assigned to it an instructor [Dr. Kershaw] who has a proven track record of excellence in teaching first-year language courses. We don't expect to achieve the enrollment that we have in Latin or a modern languages because Ancient Greek is very time-consuming to learn. It's much more complex, lots of vocabulary, forms, memorization. I've had students earn A's in the first semester of Greek 101 and then say 'I can't devote the time I need to keep my A. I just have to drop the course.'"
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 10
John Goes
posted 11/02/09 @ 4:08 AM CST
An elegant solution: replace the silly multicultural requirement with a classics requirement.
Paul Fleck
Paul Fleck
posted 11/03/09 @ 4:44 PM CST
The problem here is that the dean first made the excuse that his cut was the result of a bad economy, but then other departments and facilities are being expanded. (Continued…)
Najee Olya
posted 11/04/09 @ 3:33 PM CST
One would think that, out of all the fields of study offered by the university, the one which focuses on the people(s) and civilizations whose ideas form the basis of many of those belonging to Western Civilization itself (which we currently are a part of, for anyone who might have forgotten) would be among the last to be targeted in such a fashion. (Continued…)
Briana Jackson
posted 11/05/09 @ 6:01 PM CST
I find the threat of diminishing any part of the Classics Department to be extremely disturbing. I have nothing further to add to the previous comments accept perhaps some statements of my personal feelings about the department itself, which are very, very strong. (Continued…)
Rosa Scodellaro
posted 11/05/09 @ 11:35 PM CST
I cannot believe that this is even a debate. The Classics are the basis of western thought! The Classics should be taught to college students first and foremost. (Continued…)
Arthur Shippee
posted 11/06/09 @ 7:56 PM CST
While I'd rather have the department supported, I can certainly understand the pressure. Classics &c. may be some sort of foundation, but there's not a lot of support in the culture for the time to learn Greek or Latin well enough to read them in the originals, given the number of translations. (Continued…)
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