Story 2 – Classical Studies and Languages Departments Separate

Language and Classics Departments Separate

By Sara Feldman

@sarasfeldman

Since the summer of 2005, Loyola’s departments of classical studies and languages and cultures have been combined, but now the two departments have separated. The separation occurred because both departments felt their programs were different and would better serve their students if they were separate.

According to Connie Rodriguez, chair of the classical studies department, she approached Chair or the College of Humanities and Natural Sciences Maria Calzada with a proposal to separate the two departments last spring. “We just felt that we needed to be back on our own again as a department to help us become more visible, not only on the campus itself, but in the recruiting process” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez says that at the time of the merger of the two departments it was a good idea because the Department of Classical Studies was much smaller and the protection of the larger languages and cultures department was useful. “So many places, so many universities, when their making budgetary cuts and things like that, usually the first thing they cut are what they consider to be ‘non-essentials’ and non-essentials tend to be classics…being part of a larger department was good, because you had the protection of numbers.” Rodriguez said.

The combination of the departments, however did not work out very well. “We never really melded together the way we could have, or should have, because our styles, our pedagogies, and our programs are so very different. It was like mixing oil and water, shake it up and it works but eventually it’s going to separate back out again” Rodriguez said.

Though the overall structure of the departments has stayed the same, the separation has garnered some opinions.

The reception to the news of the separation of the Departments of Languages and Cultures and Classical Studies has, in general, been positive. “I think the separation can benefit both departments in a way and separation can be an ugly word but it’s not really. It’s more about emphasizing the highlights and the positives of each department and showing their individuality” classical studies senior Rose Dicks said.

Maria Calzada concurs with Dicks that this change is a positive one. “We think the current structure is more responsive to students’ needs. Faculty will be able to develop courses and programs more efficiently with the two separate departments. Both chairs and the administrative assistant have been willing and able to work collaborative with each other for the benefit of all departmental constituents” Calzada said.

Eileen Doll, chair of the languages and cultures department, agrees with the assertion that the separation is a positive one. Saying about the separation, “I think it allows, along the terms of what we need to do as a department, to attract more students [and] to maybe modify some of our curriculum without worrying about how that is going to impact the other part of the department” Doll said. Doll gives the example of oral proficiency, which the modern languages (Spanish and French) need and the classical languages (Latin and Greek) do not necessarily need as part of their program.

“I am very pleased with how the separation proceeded and is developing. I think this is an excellent example of collegial work in our college…now we have another member to the Council of Chairs, Dr. Connie Rodriguez. Dr. Rodriquez has added a fresh perspective to our Council’s discussions” Calzada said.

Rodriguez thinks it is important that the Loyola University has decided to support the classical studies as its own department. “Luckily, the university recognizes that if technically you are going to be a Jesuit university then you have to have a classics program and if you’re going to be taken seriously as a Jesuit university [then] you need to have a classics program” Rodriguez said.

The separation, however, has not been positive for everyone. According to Doll, Avia Alonzo, the office manager for the Department of Languages and Cultures since 2005, having to split her time between the two departments while still working from one office has been the biggest issue of the separation. “The person for whom the separation has been the hardest is Avia Alonzo because now she is having to divide her time between two departments” said Rodriguez.

Avia Alonzo works for the languages and cultures departments on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and the classical studies department on Tuesday and Thursday. She feels that the separation has been hard for her, particularly because she has only one office located on the third floor of Bobet near the language offices.

“This has not been easy…everybody here is really trying, it’s just me. The pressure is on me and I don’t like to feel that I’m not in control. I would be so much happier and I would feel so much better if I had my own little space. Definitely the solution would be an office, it could be a little bigger than a broom closet the way I feel” Alonzo said.

Alonzo also says there are issues concerning the work study students. She says it is difficult for students who are not sure where they are supposed to go on certain days of the week. Generally, however, Alonzo thinks the separation is a good thing. “The separation is good and I can only see good things going forth after this because it will be two separate departments” Alonzo said.

The faculty, staff, and students overall are excited to see what happens in the future. “I’m interested in seeing where it’s going and how it will bring majors of both departments up and how it will benefit those majors in their future careers” Dicks said.

: Avia Alonzo, the office manager for the departments of language and cultures and classical studies, is splitting her time between the two departments

: Connie Rodriguez, the chair of the classical studies department, thinks the separation will help with visibility for the Classical Studies Department department.