3/11/98

CONTACT: Marisa Cigarroa, News Service (650) 725-9750;
e-mail marisac@leland.stanford.edu

Faculty Senate renews interdisciplinary program

The Faculty Senate on March 5 renewed the Humanities Special Programs for graduate students for another five-year term.

The program offers an A.M. in humanities and a joint Ph.D. with selected departments.

"Our feeling at the dean's office is that this program adds value to the Ph.D. programs in individual departments and actually enhances not only the education of the graduate students but also their chances of finding employment afterward," David Holloway, associate dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences, told members of the senate.

Program chair Alice Rayner, however, voiced concern that the program may lose some of its edge because fifth-year graduate students will no longer be allowed to teach in Area One freshman courses.

"We're very concerned about how to give them the experience of teaching that will put their education in humanities into effect," Rayner said.

In other business, President Gerhard Casper announced that the Humanities Center has received a $10 million endowment gift from an anonymous donor.

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By Marisa Cigarroa