Comps debate dominates meeting

Author: Tamara Hilmes

On Jan. 22 Reginald L. Cook Professor of American Literature and Chair of the English and American Literatures (ENAM) Department Brett Millier invited both ENAM and English Literature (ENGL) majors to attend an open meeting allowing students to express their opinions regarding the upcoming changes to the major. On Jan. 19, Millier had sent out an e-mail stating that the Comprehensive Exam program will not continue beyond this academic year, and that all ENAM majors, beginning with the Class of 2013, will be "required to write a senior essay or thesis in order to graduate." Though Millier intended for the meeting to be focused on changes to the curriculum and major requirements, students turned out to discuss one thing­­ - and one thing only - Comps.

Around 18 concerned majors attended the meeting, most of them speaking highly of the current Comps program and expressing the shock they felt upon hearing the news. In an effort to reverse the decision, many of the students cited the importance of the community-building aspect of the program, fondly describing their interactions with fellow majors both during small class discussions and during more relaxed gatherings where they analyzed the plays of John Stoppard over a glass of wine.

"This is actually the only time that I've felt like a part of the department," said Michael Nevadomski '09, a senior ENAM major who was participating at the time that the meeting took place. He stated also that the survey style of Comps mirrored very nicely the all-encompassing classes with which he began his major.

Despite the students plight, however, Comps will no longer exist in its present form after 2009 - a decision that, according to Millier, is linked quite directly to the decision made by the Educational Affairs Committee (EAC) last year to require all College seniors to complete some form of individual senior work before graduation. According to the EAC, said Millier, Comps does not count as independent senior work. Though Comps will end after this year, the senior work requirement will not be implemented until the class of 2013.

According to Millier, all ENAM majors will be required to do a one-semester senior essay, and students with special permission will be allowed to continue their work into a second semester. Creative work, she said, will still count.

As for those students eager to participate in the Comps program, they will still have the chance, said Millier.

"The classes of 2010 and 2011 will be able to have a Comps-like experience if they so choose," she said. Millier went on to explain that these would be a smaller-scale version of the traditional program and would be optional.

Many other students mentioned the feeling of unity among senior ENAM majors that the Comps program had produced for them, a sentiment that ENAM professors shared.

"It's near and dear to our hearts," Millier said of the community-fostering aspect of the program. "We just have to come up with something else."

That "something else," according to Millier, could be anything from some form of year-long senior program that would incorporate visiting writers and speakers, similar to symposia. This could include colloquia, or some event series, said Millier, that would bring all of the senior ENAM majors together at some point in the year prior to the senior picnic held at the end of the spring semester. Professor of English and American Literature and Environmental Studies John Elder offered several suggestions for suitable replacements for the program, such as a sequence of seminars that would "give way to something."

"I've never heard this many students so excited by Comps," he said, "and I was chair for several years. I constantly have to ask, exactly what was it that people liked so much this year?"

Although the decision to eliminate Comps would not affect them, seniors continued to advocate the continuation of the longstanding ENAM department tradition.

"It's something to be proud of," said Peyton Coles '08.5, who graduated along with the rest of the Feb class on Jan. 31. "I'm going to graduate in a couple of days, and it's a great way to leave. I hope that's not lost."

Toward the end of the meeting, Millier attempted to bring up the issue of the major requirements, the topic that she had hoped would be the central topic of discussion at the Jan. 22 gathering.

"There are too many requirements - too many things to keep track of," said Millier. "There is a general level of confusion about what you're expected to do." This, she hopes, is something that the department can improve upon with input from students. Suggestions included minimizing the number of pre-1800 courses that an ENAM major is required to take, as well as eliminating the specific Shakespeare and 204 requirements.

"As a department we have not been good about simplifying," said Millier. "But we will come back to [students] with what we hope to do. We are very interested in how the curriculum strikes students. This will be followed up. Truly nothing has been decided."