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Subject: New African-American Studies Program


My alma mater let me know about their new program in African AMerican
history, details below.

Regards,
John R. Maass
Dept. of History
The Ohio State University
230 West 17th Ave
106 Dulles Hall
Columbus, OH  43210-1367
Ph. 614/760-9625




Washington and Lee Unveils New African-American Studies Program
Lexington, VA • Feb. 11, 2005 — Washington and Lee University has
established a new interdisciplinary Program in African-American Studies to
begin in Fall 2005.
The program proposal, which was approved last month by the University's
Committee on Courses and Degrees, was accepted by unanimous voice vote at
the Feb. 7 faculty meeting. The new program will combine courses from
history, literature, politics, sociology, music, fine arts, religion and
law, with a goal of helping students develop a greater understanding of the
African-American experience and the legacy of racial differences within the
United States, as well as of America's contemporary social and cultural
context.
Associate Professor of History Ted DeLaney, who will serve as the new
program's director, notes that the program grew out of enthusiastic support
from both faculty and students. "The request for an African-American Studies
program actually came from students, and I believe this is an important step
forward for the University," he said. "Most of the courses that will
comprise this program have been in the catalog for years and have been very
popular among students of all races. The African-American Studies program
brings these courses together in a comprehensive interdisciplinary
curriculum that will be intellectually stimulating and challenging."
Students enrolled in the new program will be required to take 21 credits,
including a new Introduction to African-American Studies course taught by
Associate Professor of English Marc Conner, who co-authored the program
proposal with DeLaney. Incorporating several guest lecturers from the W&L
faculty, the new course is designed to prepare students for the broad range
of topics they will explore throughout the program.
"Our aim is to provide our students and faculty with a lively, powerful
course of study of what is one of the main elements of American culture: the
African-American experience," said Conner. "This field is so diverse,
fascinating, complex and multi-faceted, and I'm delighted that we have the
faculty who can teach it and the students who want to study it.
"This is a terrific and even historic development for this institution,
which from its very name is embedded in American history." Conner continued.
Students will also be required to take one of DeLaney's two courses on the
History of the African-American People before choosing four additional
electives from a list of courses that meet the program requirements.
They will conclude their course of study with a semester-long senior
capstone project--a three-credit independent study in which they will have
the opportunity to further pursue their particular interest through a
thesis, research project, performance piece, artistic production or other
expression of their work in the program.
The Program in African-American Studies will join the Women's Studies,
Environmental Studies and Global Stewardship programs as the fourth
non-major, interdisciplinary program to be offered at Washington and Lee.
Relevant courses that students have taken in advance of the program's
official commencement may also be counted towards the program requirements,
and completion of the program will be noted on students' transcripts.
Students interested in enrolling in the African-American Studies program are
invited to an informational luncheon on Monday, March 7 at 12:00 p.m. in
Room 114 of the Elrod University Commons. For more information or to
register for the luncheon, contact Ted DeLaney at 458-8963 or
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