2-10-05 PROPOSAL FOR A MINOR IN SEXUALITIES AND GENDER STUDIES

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 University of Delaware faculty and staff

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 Duke University

program for Gay and Bisexual Studies; currently developing a similar program at the University of Kansas

Jonathan Katz, Executive Director of the Larry Kramer Initiative for Lesbian and Gay Studies, Yale University

Proposal: Minor in Sexualities & Gender Studies, p. 2

Introduction to Proposal

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.

The Proposal Preparation

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 University of Delaware rather than attempting simply to replicate a particular program elsewhere. To prepare for this proposal, John G Younger, a professor who developed a program in gay and lesbian studies in the 1990’s at Duke University and currently is developing a similar program at the University of Kansas, visited the University of Delaware in the fall of 2002 to conduct a public forum on the feasibility of starting a minor in sexualities and gender at our university. Professor Younger provided our task force with reference materials and other helpful information about programs at other universities. In addition to Professor Younger, the task force consulted three other sources to review programs at other universities: Survey of LGBT/Sexuality Studies Programs published in April 2001, the Directory for College/University Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans Centers/Programs (http://www.lgbtcampus.org/directory.htm), and Resources in Reference to LGBT Content, Studies, Campus Sites, Programming, and Training (http://www.naspa.org/).

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 University of Delaware task force met for two years to develop a curriculum, enlist support for the proposed minor, and develop new courses that were offered during the 2003-2004 academic year. Two of the new courses will be offered again in the 2004-2005 year. See Attachment A for information about those courses. A majority of the courses in the proposed curriculum are already university courses offered on a regular basis. Many faculty at the University were contacted at the time of Professor Younger’s visit. A listing of faculty who responded positively to the idea appears in Attachment D. Professor Peterson, Co-Chair of the task force, interacted with Jonathan Katz at Yale University on several occasions to seek his advice about the formation of the curriculum and the proposal for a minor. Our objective to focus this coursework on a study of humankind and not as an extension of identity politics was demonstrated in the ARSC

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

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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 University of Delaware is quite different from that of the late 1970’s when Richard Aumuller, Assistant Professor of Theater, was fired for being a homosexual. The breadth of support for this minor demonstrated by the list of faculty in Attachment D includes faculty who are heterosexual, gay, and lesbian, at all professorial ranks as well as members of our professional community at the University.

Rationale for Proposal

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., Columbia, New York University, Duke, Indiana, and Yale. The relationship of gender and sexuality to the law, politics, religion, criminal justice, psychology, medicine, education, the arts, among other areas should be obvious to anyone given the number of articles in magazines and newspapers and other media in just the last several years.

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 College of Arts and Sciences academic offerings. Its multidisciplinary nature will attract students and draw expertise from many departments. The new course taught last year (spring 2004)— ARSC 267: Research in Sexualities and Gender—will be offered again in spring 2005. It drew weekly guest speakers on issues of gender, religion, law, music, education, and political science. Like its sister course

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in Women’s Studies, the lecture series was advertised off-campus and drew audience members from as far away as Chestertown, Maryland. The lecture/presentations by Barney Frank, US Congress; Barbara Gittings; and Rev. Brad Hinton especially filled the classroom, which seats ninety-nine.

Description of the Minor

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.

Administration of the Minor

The administrator of the minor will report to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The administration of the program will include a director and an advisory committee. These people will advise students and approve requirements that fulfill each student’s minor.

Proposed Curriculum

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

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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

Readings and Research in Sexualities and Gender (proposed permanent capstone course:

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.

Budget Expectations

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 College of Arts and Sciences to assist in bringing guest speakers to campus. Also, the office has funded one S-contract for the gay/lesbian film course to be taught once a year.