SGA Resolution on AAL Reform

On April 5th 2014 (Spring 2014), SGA passed a resolution regarding the AAL requirements. You can read the complete resolution below.

Resolution: S2014-SR1

TITLE: Midd Included: Reform AAL

SPONSOR:

Daniela Barajas, Student

David Ollin Pesqueira, Student

Adriana Ortiz-Brunham, Student

Jiya Pandya, Student

Rachel Liddell, President

Amari Simpson, Director of Constitutional Affairs

DATE: April 5, 2014

Whereas,

Whereas, in the Middlebury College Handbook, it says, “students should have a broad educational exposure to the variety of the world’s cultures and civilizations.”

Whereas the faculty, in their recent list of thirteen College-wide Learning Goals, stated that they “understand and appreciate difference, commonality, and connectedness across cultures and societies around the world.”

Whereas learning about the world and its peoples in a more holistic and complete manner will enrich the academic experiences of all students.

Whereas Middlebury should seek to have a curriculum that is inclusive to all students.

Whereas, Middlebury’s mission statement says that the college should “strive to engage students’ capacity for rigorous analysis and independent thought within a wide range of disciplines and endeavors, and to cultivate the intellectual, creative, physical, ethical, and social qualities essential for leadership in a rapidly changing global community.”

Whereas, in an effort to produce graduates who are competitive in all sectors of a globalized world, Middlebury College should aim to embrace changes that would make the curriculum more challenging and comprehensive.

Be It Resolved….

The Cultural Distribution Requirements should be reformed.

The CDR should recognize the diverse qualities of communities and their cultures and weigh them accordingly.

We suggest to the faculty of Middlebury College that the AAL requirement be removed. We ask that the faculty consider the following categories be used to describe the Cultures and Civilizations requirements.

1. Two courses, each of which focuses on the cultures and civilization of:

a. AFR: Africa
b. ASI: Asia
c. LAC: Latin America and the Caribbean
d. MDE: Middle East
e. EUR: Europe
f. OCE: Oceania

2. NOR: one course that focus on some aspect of the cultures and civilizations of northern America (United States and Canada and Mexico)

3. CMP: one course that focuses on the process of comparison between and among cultures and civilizations, or a course that focus on the identity and experience of separable groups within cultures and civilizations.

Respectfully submitted,