Professor Povitz's Courses

Professor Povitz has been one of the most impactful professors I have had during my time at Middlebury. I am a senior Neuroscience major and took Professor Povitz’s History of Sexuality course the Spring of my Junior year. I am interested in history yet primarily study STEM. History of Sexuality was such a profound learning experience solely due to Professor Povitz’s expert knowledge and ability to teach the material in a challenging and exciting fashion. She engages with her students and seeks to offer any support she can. She encouraged all students to come to office hours so she could get to know our interests beyond the classroom. Professor Povitz is the best lecturer I’ve had at Midd and she cares deeply for her students, something that is not always immediate in the classroom. After History of Sexuality I proceeded to take two more courses with Professor Povitz during my Senior year. I took her J-term course Practicing Oral History and I’m currently enrolled in Black and Jewish Feminist Perspectives. All of her classes have been my favorite classes at Middlebury. The latter class is a 400 level history seminar. I am taking it because I am interested in the material and because I so enjoy Professor Povitz as a professor. The class meets once a week during the night… Evidently, Professor Povitz is that good of a professor where time of day does not matter to take one of her classes. The fact that I am taking a 400 level history seminar course when I am not a history major or minor should also speak to Professor Povitz’s teaching abilities and the immense interest she garners with the courses and topics she teaches. Professor Povitz’s queer identity and interest and expertise at teaching queer histories has been incredible for me personally as a student. Having Professors with a shared identity as you who also teach incredibly important and often untold histories has been instrumental in me feeling like I belong on this campus. Professor Povitz’s importance to this campus cannot be put into words. She is an excellent Professor who should be kept on staff due to the many reasons I have outlined above. I know my positive experience from Professor Povitz’s classrooms is not unique. Any student who takes one of her classes leaves with a greater understanding of marginalized histories and in my case, a greater sense of Middlebury community (I know this is true of many others too). Please reconsider Professor Povitz’s position at the college. She deserves a tenure track or a partner track. Write the wrong that has been assigned and flip the narrative on the heteronormativity prevalent in partner hires at the college.

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