Committee looking closely at two 2:2 staffing plans

Hayley Tsukayama News Editor

Continuing their examination of Vassar’s current course loads and staffing plans, the Committee on Curricular Policy (CCP) has decided to focus on two academic programs—environmental studies (ENST) and political science—as case studies for what would be a fundamental switch in the way the College operates.

Last fall, all departments and programs submitted their normal staffing plans for the 2008-2009 school year. In addition to a plan in which professors teach three classes in the first semester and two in the second (also known as 3:2), all academic programs were asked to submit an additional plan in which instructors would only teach two classes per semester (also known as 2:2).

“This was an attempt to see what staffing implications might be involved if we were to make this change,” said Dean of the Faculty Ron Sharp, in an e-mailed statement. CCP hoped that having staffing plans in front of them—concrete data—would help them focus their abstract discussion of the impact that switching to 2:2 would have on Vassar.

When the plans came in at the end of last semester, however, Vassar Student Association Vice President for Academics Jessica Cho ’08 said that CCP got extremely varied data from the exercise. “Not everyone looked at it the same way,” she said.

According to Cho, some departments used the plans as an opportunity to rearticulate what they saw as their purpose on campus. Some departments consulted their entire faculty, or included the rationale behind which classes they would cut as well what impact switching to 2:2 would have on their programs and on their students.

“It was then the task of CCP to assess what impact this modeling would have on the curriculum,” said Sharp, “and to begin that process, the Committee decided to start its analysis with two concrete examples—one a department (political science) and one a program (environmental studies). In CCP we have thus started analyzing the impact on this department and program as the first step in our larger analysis.”

CCP is also working closely with the Registrar’s Office and Registrar Daniel Giannini to analyze the impact of cutting courses at the 100- or 200-level.

If, for example, the College cut back on its lower-level course offerings, students may be forced to take the lower level classes in their sophomore year or later.

“Looking at a four-year plan,” Cho said, “you have to ask if you can go Junior Year Abraod or double major or add a correlate” if the introductory classes are decreased.

On the other hand, she said, if the College cuts higher-level courses, students may lose the specificity and depth of education in their particular field of interest.

Comparing an established department and a fairly new but popular program allowed the Committee to look at a range of considerations while maintaining a close focus. Although the effects of switching to 2:2 will vary depending on the field of study, one major concern is the different effect that cutting classes will have on departments or multi- or interdisciplinary programs that rely on professors and courses from other departments.

“I think one important element for environmental studies majors would be to have increased communication between departments and programs about upcoming course offerings,” said Director of the Environmental Studies Program and Associate Professor of Biology Margaret Ronsheim in an e-mailed statement.

“Students declaring a multidisciplinary major often find it challenging to plan their junior and senior years, and having information about course offerings would help in that process if we went to 2:2,” said Ronsheim.

Sharp told The Miscellany News in March 2007 that these programs are vitally important to a Vassar education and would be protected. Cho echoed that sentiment, saying that CCP concentrated on discussions of choice. “We tell prospective students that they can choose an interdisciplinary or independent major…these are interests that they want to protect,” she said.

Although the College is continuing its examination of changing to 2:2, Cho said this is “a springboard for where to go and what to look at.”

To deal with the breadth of issues, President Catharine Bond Hill created the Courseload Committee—comprised largely of faculty and administrators, as well as one student representative—which will look at broader issues. Chaired by Sharp and Vice President for Planning and Academic Affairs Rachel Kitzinger, the Committee has representatives from the Faculty Committee on Curricular Policy, the Faculty Appointments and Salary Committee, the ad hoc 2:2 committee formed last spring, and those working on Vassar’s self-study. They are also examining the impact that Sharp’s resignation at the end of this year will have on the process.

“We anticipate that it will function at least through next year as a new Dean of the Faculty finds his or her footing,” said Kitzinger. “The Committee will work in consultation with the governance committees and will report out to the community as a whole as well.”