Student complaints about the current structure of the Mills
English Department has led to a multicultural restructuring to
include more courses with writers of color as the focus. The new
program was approved by the faculty on Monday, Oct. 27.
“This revision was undertaken in part to address and correct the
ways many of the courses including writers of color in our
curriculum were not requirements, or seemingly marginalized,” said
head of the English Department Cynthia Scheinberg in an e-mail.
The new requirements will affect students who declare an English
major as of next year once the new major is entered in the catalog.
These include a new requirement, Introduction to Literature class,
a choice of taking Survey of African American Literature among the
required survey classes, and a new lower division course called
World Roots of Literature. The new Introduction to Literature class
is equivalent to requirements in other California colleges said
Scheinberg.
“We imagine this will make the major more attractive to some
students,” said Scheinberg, in regards to how the change will
affect demand of the English major.
The three new classes will start being offered next fall.
Students who are currently under the previous English major will be
able stay on their current plan if they choose to. The English
Department is looking into whether it will be manageable for these
students to switch to the new program.
