When University of Cincinnati President Nancy Zimpher delivered the State of the University address Wednesday, Oct. 29, she made a comment that caused a negative reaction from members of the English department.
“We need to ask ourselves, ‘How many versions of English 101 do we have or need?’ ” Zimpher said when speaking of space utilization, online classes and streamlining courses.
Aside from an honors English 101 course that is offered, there is only one version of
English 101, according to John Maddux, field-service instructor in the English department.
“And it is interesting it would be said, because [English composition] is one of the most coordinated programs because virtually everyone that comes into UC has to take the English composition sequence,” Maddux said. “Obviously, we’re going to have it organized so everyone is teaching the same thing. We couldn’t have 25 different teachers teaching 25 different versions of English composition and that’s what’s upsetting about it. It’s a very well organized program.”
For Fall Quarter, 80 different sections of the class are offered. As of Wednesday, Nov. 19, there are 37 vacant spots between 22 sections. Approximately 1,612 students are enrolled in English 101. Winter Quarter is scheduled to offer students 36 sections; currently there are 52 vacancies spread among four sections and approximately 674 students are already registered to take the class.
The basis for Zimpher’s State of the University speech was a focus on 21st century teaching and learning, which includes performance-based budgeting, managing the cost of tuition, encouraging enrollment growth, review of credits to degree and course offerings on regional campuses and Main Campus.
“As we go down the road toward semester conversion and program review, we’re going to have a lot of conversation about course numbers and course titles,” said Anthony Perzigian, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “We need to be able to connect all these dots and get it – two or three years down the road – where we are more streamlined and there is less redundancy across regional campuses and the
Uptown campus.”
Though UC is streamlining courses, for some the explanation isn’t enough.
“I acknowledge the president’s point, that you don’t want redundant classes on different campuses like Raymond Walters [College] or Clermont [College],” said Chris Campagna, a field-service instructor in the English department. “[Zimpher’s statement] seems like sloppy rhetoric and it makes me feel kind of slighted.
“It’s like, ‘Oh, that’s just that crappy generic class. I’ll use that as an example even though it’s not true,’ ” Campagna said. “And what I would tell my student who is writing a paper is that, if you’re going to make a point that’s legitimate, you should use a real example to support it.”
Zimpher, who has a degree in English education and another in English literature, said the statement was a quick reference from her personal background.
“My comment was not intended to slight any department or make anyone feel undervalued,” Zimpher said in an e-mail. “It was intended to be a generic reference, not aimed at any specific department.”
Earlier this year, Laura Micciche, director of composition, rhetoric and composition, and others in the English department, sent Zimpher a “long memo that said English 101 is one of the most coordinated programs, it’s not redundant at all,” according to Campagna.
The memo was sent as a result of a similar comment made by Zimpher at a faculty senate meeting.
“When I saw [what Zimpher said at the State of the University address], I sent a note to Laura and said, ‘Did you see this? What is she talking about?’ ” Campagna said. “[Laura] told me she was surprised; shocked is actually what she said. She said, ‘I’m shocked she would say this again because we sent her a pretty long response.’ ”
The president’s office has no record of receiving a memo from Micchiche, according to Zimpher.
Because the English composition department is so extensive and reaches a large number of students, faculty of the department make up a committee that sets standards for the course.
All teachers are required to teach the same curriculum, with the same essays and each instructor uses the same grading rubric. The English department also reorganizes and rewrites the student guide books for the 101 and 102 English classes each year. The only difference in the curricula is that a teacher may institute their own personality or teaching style to their class.
The composition department is comprised of 19 field-service instructors, one adjunct faculty member and a varying number of teaching assistants, according to Maddux.
“[Zimpher’s statement] isn’t a giant big deal,” Campagna said. “But it seems like it’s not a good idea to insult the efforts of the faculty that are doing a really good job. A lot of people put a lot of effort and time into [the department] and why dismiss that? I think it just kind of sloppy really, I mean, still, words matter.”
The department does not plan to take further action.
“Maybe [Zimpher would say] perhaps I used a misleading example here, maybe I was given wrong information that I didn’t bother to check out, maybe, like I said she was speaking off the top of her head,” Maddux said. “I’m not looking for her to [prosecute] herself or beg our forgiveness or anything, but to acknowledge that the English composition department is a very well-oiled, comprehensive program that offers the same curriculum to every student that enters the university.”
In an e-mail, Zimpher acknowledged the programs structure.
“I asked a rhetorical question, and happily, later on, I got a great, factual answer,” Zimpher said. “In short, English composition is a model of course coordination that other areas may want to adopt.”
The News Record > Sections > News
Zimpher upsets English comp department
Published: Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Updated: Wednesday, November 19, 2008
3 comments
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English Comp is, for the record, taught by at least 8-10 adjuncts each quarter.
Your name
Where do you get the idea that Campagna wants to close English classes at RWC and Clermont?
Andy
While I agree with the English Department regarding the President's remarks, Chris Campagna's statement regarding redundancy of English classes offered at Raymond Walters and Clermont is inaccurate also. Two wrongs do not make one right. As a former Clermont student now attending the uptown campus, offering entry level classes in these satellite campuses make sense. From the student's point of view, tuition cost is often lower. For some of my classmates who live in Brown, Adam and Clinton Counties, it is simply too far to drive to Clifton in order to take an entry level English class. If we do what Chris Campagna wants to eliminate English classes at these campuses, we might as well close their doors forever.
