Minutes of the Great Books Committee

Members: Assoc. Dean Michael Brown, Anne Bunnell, Helena Feder, John Given, Thomas Herron, Su-Ching Huang, Anne Helene Miller, Kevin Moll, Frank Romer, Mona Russell, David Smith, Nancy Spalding, John Stevens, Anoush Terjanian, Edmund Wall, David Wilson-Okamura, Tricia Wilson-Okamura

Members Present: Professors Jonathan Reid, Thomas Herron, David Wilson-Okamura, Edmund Wall, Anoush Terjanian, John Stevens, Mona Russell, Nancy Spalding

September 22, 2011, Meeting #1, 3:30pm, Bate 3321

Agenda Item 1. I. Election of Officers: Chair, John Stevens; Secretary, Nancy Spalding

Agenda Item 2. II. Budget etc.
Budget uncertainty, maybe a buyout for spring?
Assess for humanities FC, program?
What should each syll have?
Writing vs speaking goals?
 

Agenda Item 3. III. Spring 2012 Course Proposal for GRBK 2400.
Jonathan Reid (History) proposal, intro seminar:
Aquinas, Bingen, Rabelais, Maimonides, Montaigne, Descartes; other authors discussed; Descartes as a transition to enlightenment.
 

Agenda Item 4. Course Content
Diversity of texts = quota or aspiration?
Teaching a complete text, so highlight the integity of the text, vs excerpts;
What is a great book? Will generate thought!
Value of inter-disciplinary programs? How to justify in a time of cuts?
 

Agenda Item 5. IV. Announcements/Misc.
Additional relevant class taught in spring: Thomas Herron, Milton undergrad (English)
Lecture: Salman Rushdie
Lecture: Francis Bacon scholar (Nov 15~)
Honorarium? How should we use it?
 

The meeting was adjourned at 4:50pm

Submitted by Nancy Spalding