CICS Course Back By Student Demand

By Ethel Seno
Contributing Writer

Despite its omission from the Fall Course Book, Critical Issues in Contemporary Society (CICS), Wesleyan’s only student-run course, is being offered this semester as a student forum under the African-American Studies program.

CICS, previously sponsored by the American Studies program, was dropped last spring after a departmental assessment. This action has raised discussion about the nature of student-run courses at Wesleyan.

"A student forum, after a few years, tends to develop a life of its own that doesn’t fit under any one department," said Claire Potter, prior faculty advisor of CICS and Associate Professor in the American Studies Program.

The American Studies department determined that the class did not meet their standards of a100 level class as it did not serve as a gateway to the American Studies major. Additionally no faculty members were able to sponsor the class due to their existing course loads.

The American studies department has received no formal communication from the CICS Teaching Assistants (TAs), most of whom   participated in the class last year.

"I am somewhat in the dark as to what is happening," Potter said.

"CICS gets around mostly by word of mouth," said CICS TA Jose Stevenson ’99.

Students interested in the course filled out applications and were interviewed by a group of less than 10 CICS TAs earlier this week. According to Stevenson, the number of applicants, a majority of whom were sophomores, was notably lower than in previous semesters. Approximately 50 students are currently enrolled in the one-credit course which consists of five ten-person classes.

Although CICS is being offered this semester, there are no definite plans for the course’s continuation. As a student forum, CICS differs from a tutorial in that the TAs are not paid. TA volunteers and stable departmental sponsorship must be found if the course is to continue.

"CICS has a reputation for being an easy credit", said Stevenson. To counter this view, TAs have taken steps to develop stringent rules. Present class requirements include community service, a final presentation, and 40-60 pages of reading with a two-page response per week.

Although CICS is now sponsored by the African-American department, the issues chosen for discussion by the class have not been affected. These issues include drugs, abortion and sexuality.

"I love the aspect of students teaching students," Stevenson said, "My experience in the class has been incredible."