Reforming the Gov. Department

Government concentrators have long complained about their introductory course requirements. Students and Faculty in the department have worked together to devise a proposal that would, among other things, eliminate this cumbersome requirement. If the proposal is approved by the Educational Policy Committee (EPC) on April 18, new government concentrators, starting with the Class of 2004, will enter a department changed for the better.

In theory, students should have an introductory knowledge of a field before pursuing advanced study. But in reality, students consider these classes--particularly Government 10, Government 20 and Government 30--the least useful aspect of their curriculum. The "introductory" approach adopted by these classes is less of an effort to provide students with a separate foundational or theoretical base than it is a rapid survey through diverse topics. Consequently, students have complained that much of the material in these classes overlaps later coursework. Furthermore, these classes are large and impersonal, receiving mediocre CUE ratings.

The compromise that the Undergraduate Advisory Council (UAC) and various Faculty members have proposed to the department is reasonable. Students would still have to take at least one class in each of the four government subfields (international relations, comparative government, American government and political theory), but students would no longer be required to take at least two introductory classes. We hope that the department keeps these introductory courses available for students who wish to enroll in them.

Axing the introductory course requirement would reduce the number of required courses for non-honors students from thirteen to twelve and for honors students from fifteen to fourteen. This would grant government concentrators another elective class to create variety and depth in their studies. Student schedules are often packed with Core and concentration requirements during their eight short semesters as undergraduates, and we hope other departments examine their own requirements with this fact in mind.

In addition to the loosening of curricular requirements, the department has proposed lengthening the sophomore tutorial to two semesters instead of one. Similar to the Social Studies sophomore tutorial system, all sophomore government concentrators would convene each week to listen to lecturers delivered by University professors specializing in the week's topic of discussion. These changes would expose students to a wide range of Faculty members, and would allow students to make more informed decisions about future coursework. Furthermore, these changes to the tutorial system will do much to create a more intimate learning environment--an important concern given the size of the department.

Eliminating the introductory course requirement and extending the sophomore tutorial are reasonable proposals that address legitimate curricular concerns raised by both students and Faculty in the government department. We strongly urge the EPC to approve these changes.