Minutes, Curriculum Committee Meeting, Tuesday, February 22, 2022

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Curriculum Committee

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Curriculum Committee

Meeting Minutes (approved)

Feb 22, 2022

In attendance: Jill Jones (Chair), Ashley Kistler, Rochelle Elva, Sarah Parsloe, Stephanie

Henning, Zoe Pearson, Susan Montgomery, Samantha Fonseca-Douguet, Robin Gerchman,

Mark Heileman, Raghabendra KC, Rob Sanders, Yusheng Yao, Tiffany Griffin, Lisa Tillman,

Denise Cummings, Kathryn Norsworthy, Taryn Green, Jonathan Harwell, Toni Holbrook,

Amy Armenia, Steve Booker, Yusheng Yao, Meredith Hein, Jana Mathews

I. Approval of Minutes from Feb 15 meeting, motion, seconded, approved

II. Announcements

A. None

III. Old Business

A. None.

IV. New Business

A. Student Proposal to make Election Day a Rollins Holiday (Taryn Green, Zoe

Pearson)

i. Taryn discussed the recent challenges with the voting rights in

Florida.

ii. Taryn stated that the goal is to promote voting in Winter Park, FL

iii. Idea came from fall Fox Day to promote vaccination day it should be

possible with voting

iv. Clarification on how the curriculum committee can help since we

approve the academic calendar.

v. Clarification on the purpose to give Election Day off – promote

Democracy in our community, create awareness about the importance

of voting

vi. Discussion surrounding how this would create access and create

change

vii. Discussion around what kind of support would there be for students

to encourage voting so that it is not a campus “holiday”

1. Perhaps a student conference with flexibility or common read

on voting or election to help develop awareness about voting

viii. 2022-23 academic calendar has been approved; will need to replace a

day on the calendar if this is an approved college holiday.

ix. Discussion surrounding around the diversity of students; encouraging

students to recognizing the day as important and may diminish the

value of the day; be mindful of the repercussions for request for other

holiday requests by Rollins student groups

x. Suggestion to make the day a flex-day; creating an asynchronous class

meeting day.

xi. Strong support from the Center for Leadership & Community

Engagement

xii. Extend holiday to Staff and Faculty; would have to be included as a

college closure day

xiii. Suggestion to obtain faculty support for the proposal

xiv. Suggestion to have the Curriculum Committee provide an amendment

the calendar and the Faculty Affairs Committee to provide a resolution

xv. Suggestion to make Rollins a voting location in the future

xvi. Students will keep the committee updated

B. Proposal: Advocacy and Social Justice Minor (Lisa Tillman) 2 attachments

i. Provided background information for the minor which is a

culmination of four years of work.

ii. Summarized the proposal for the minor

iii. New course proposal for a theory course which has been taught as a

topics course

iv. Toni reminded that the goal is a repackage current courses being

offered

v. Toni asked that that the credentials of the professors who will be

teaching the core courses be provided for SACSCOC

vi. Lisa confirmed that currently that the core courses can be taught by

Rollins professors

vii. Is it possible to expand this as a certificate

viii. Discussion around the three core courses in the program and course

listing

1. Drop ASJ for elective courses

2. Gather credentials of faculty who teach core courses for Toni

3. Need to create and provide a Demonstration of Learning Plan

for Toni’s office

4. Course proposal for theory course

5. Renumbering of the 205 to 200 to better coordinate course

offerings

ix. Move to approve with revisions, seconded, passes

C. Proposal: RFLA Humanities Division Substitution, English Department (Jana

Mathews) 3 attachments

i. English courses were the least substituted courses for in the rFLA

ii. All 200 level courses in English have the same goals and learning

outcomes but switch based on topics

iii. Proposal to have all 200 level English courses to count as a

substitution

iv. Proposal presented to the rFLA advisory committee who provided

feedback

1. the rFLA advisory committee did not support this request since

it might undermine the divisional exception

2. the 200 H course are stable and exceptions are needed in the

sciences

3. Ashley reminded that it is possible to cross-listing courses with

rFLA

4. Divisional exceptions do not contribute to the department’s

contribution to RCC/rFLA or Honors

v. Jana expressed that the English department historically has strongly

commitment to serving rFLA and that may become more strained

with staffing concerns.

vi. Jill, the English professor (not the committee chair) believes that it

will create more choice of courses for students

vii. Suggestion to renumber a few ENG 200 courses that can be used for

rFLA 200H

viii. Discussion about including more input from the rFLA advisory

committee

ix. Motion to table, second, motion passes.

D. Change to Catalog: Academic Warning Language (Amy Armenia)

i. Created last year by the Appeals Committee and Amy brought it to this

committee

ii. Updating the catalog to recognize the various ways a faculty member

can communicate to students that they are not being successful

academically in the course

iii. Discussion surrounding changing the title of the policy from Academic

Warning to something else

iv. Discussion surrounding the use of in-person meeting which may be

viewed as less formal than a scheduled meeting or electronic

communication

v. Suggestion to include more structured language in the policy

vi. Discussion surrounding how definitive the policy should be in terms

of communication modes

vii. Move to table discussion

Meeting adjourned 1:49 PM

ADVOCACY & SOCIAL JUSTICE (ASJ)

I. Endorsing Departments, Programs, and Units: Africa & African American Studies; Anthropology; CICI

(Center for Inclusion and Campus Involvement); CLCE (Center for Leadership and Community

Engagement); Critical Media & Cultural Studies; Communication; Environmental Studies; Film Studies;

Global Health; Graduate Studies in Counseling; Office of International Programs; Public Policy & Political

Economy; Rollins College Bonner Leaders; Social Impact Hub; Sociology; Student Media

*We welcome additional endorsements; contact Lisa Tillmann at: Lt[email protected] or 407-443-

0145.

II. Program Description

Rollins long has offered social justice and/or advocacy-focused courses across disciplines and programs.

The ASJ minor enables students to coalesce courses into a coherent educational experience.

Social justice involves deep analysis of social problems and systemic inequalities and the collaborative

building of fair, equitable alternatives. According to Lee Anne Bell (2016, p. 3), “The goal of social justice is

full and equitable participation of people from all social identity groups,” with special attention to historically

marginalized persons and communities.

As much as any prior generation, today’s students inherit serious local, national, and global challenges and

crises (e.g., climate change, war, and poverty). The ASJ program offers opportunities to “look deeply and

see clearly” what’s happening and what’s at stake so that we can responsibly and ethically empower and

(en)act.

Bell (2016, p. 3) discusses social justice as not only a goal but also a process, one that is “democratic and

participatory, respectful of human diversity and group differences, and inclusive and affirming of human

agency and capacity for working collaboratively with others to create change.” Together with students as

well as campus and community partners, ASJ faculty serve as co-mentors. We provide a welcoming

environment in which students facilitate the research, design, and delivery of social justice initiatives in the

classroom, on campus, and in the community.

These initiatives seek to analyze and redress social injustice at ALL levels: micro (individual), meso (one’s

immediate spheres of influence, such as family, school, and workplace), and macro (public policy).

III. Rationale

Students need tools to navigate our era of disinformation, division, and rising authoritarianism. The

framework of “social justice” requires that ASJ’s values, principles, practices, and policies be inclusive,

democratic, equitable, and just. The program reflects and fosters the Rollins mission, particularly in

supporting students to become engaged citizens and responsible leaders living meaningful, purposeful

lives.

Interdisciplinary ASJ-affiliated faculty have research, teaching, and activism experience and expertise in,

e.g., criminal justice, disability/ableism, economic inequality and equity, environmental sustainability,

gender/cisgenderism, health, human rights, immigration, peace, politics, poverty, public policy, race/racism,

sex/sexism, sexual orientation/heterosexism, and social movements.

This program complements and supports, rather than competes with, existing programs such as Africa &

African American Studies; Anthropology; Critical Media & Cultural Studies; Economics; Middle East & North

Africa Studies; Public Policy & Political Economy; Social Entrepreneurship; Social Innovation; Sexuality,

Women’s, & Gender Studies; and Sociology.

IV. Requirements

• 3 core courses: ASJ 105, 205, 305

• 3 ASJ electives

o At least 2 ASJ electives must be at the 300 level or above

o At least 1 ASJ elective must be applied, meaning the course is not only about

advocacy and social justice but also involves the practice of advocacy (i.e., 1 or more

initiatives that push beyond individual consciousness-raising and contribute to the

transformation of social systems)

o At least 1 course with a CE (Community Engagement) designation, within or outside

the student’s ASJ minor courses.

Students are encouraged to consider fulfilling electives through CE field studies as well as

approved study abroad programs (semester-long, summer, and field study).

Core Classes

ASJ 105 Advocacy & Social Justice: engages students in exploring their own dominant and

marginalized social identity locations and experiences; exposes students to power-sharing stances

that promote systemic change in solidarity with affected communities; examines the history and

models of successful social movements; and culminates in their researching, designing, and

engaging in one or more social justice campaigns.

ASJ 205 Research for Advocacy & Social Justice: exposes students to diverse practices and

examples of social justice research; engages students in semester-long projects involving both

library research and original, social-change-focused research, ideally in solidarity with one or more

marginalized populations.

ASJ 305 Social Justice Theories & Practices: explores from an intersectional perspective multiple

liberation and social justice approaches, including (but not limited to) Freirean liberation theory,

critical theory, feminist theories (stretching beyond Western mainstream feminism), and decolonial

frameworks.

Possible ASJ-prefix electives

Courses that fulfill the foundations requirements currently include CMC 105 Mindful Activism.

Courses that fulfill the methods requirements currently include CMC 200 Research, Media, Culture.

Courses that fulfill the theory requirements currently include CMC 305 Liberation Theories & Practices.

An asterisk denotes an applied elective.

• ASJ/PPE 119 Introduction to Public Policy & Political Economy

• ASJ 195 Topics

• ASJ/ANT 200 Cultural Anthropology

• ASJ 206/SWAG 205 Introduction to Sexuality, Women’s, and Gender Studies

• ASJ/COM 240 Intercultural Communication

• ASJ/THE 244 Theatre and Disability (CE)

• ASJ/ANT 251 Native American Cultures

• ASJ/POL 252 American Civil Rights Law

• ASJ/THE 265 Critical Performance Ethnography

• ASJ/CMC 270 Media, Gender & Sexualities

• ASJ 295 Topics

• ASJ/POL 302 The Politics of Global Poverty

• ASJ/ECO 307 International Economics

• ASJ/CMC 310 Media, Peace & Justice*

• ASJ 311/SI 310 Nonprofit Leadership and Innovation

• ASJ/PHI 312 Feminist Theory

• ASJ/PHI 315 Gender, Rights, and Relativism

• ASJ/CMC 320 Political Economy of Body & Food

• ASJ/ANT 321 Public Archaeology

• ASJ/CMC 325 Incarceration & Inequality*

• ASJ/CMC 330 Native American Media & Cultural Studies

• ASJ/ SOC 331 The Civil Rights Movement, prereq: any prior SOC class or permission

• ASJ/POL 332 International Human Rights* (CE)

• ASJ 333/ENV 330 Women and the Environment

• ASJ 334/SOC 330 Social Movements, prereq: any prior SOC class or permission

• ASJ/CMC 335 Critical Disability Studies

• ASJ 336/POL 330 Peace and Conflict Studies

• ASJ 337/PSY 332 Psychology of Social Behavior

• ASJ 338/THE 336 Theatre for Social Justice

• ASJ/ENV 340 Environmental Justice

• ASJ 341/COM 340 Health Policy and Advocacy Communication

• ASJ/SWAG 350 Feminist Methodology

• ASJ 351/ANT 350 Anthropology and the Family

• ASJ/THE 360 Forbidden Acts: The Queer Aesthetic in 20

Century Theatre & Film

• ASJ/POL 363 American Social Policy

• ASJ/ECO 371 International Economic History

• ASJ/HIS 375 History of the Vietnam War

• ASJ 395 Topics

• ASJ/PSY 400 Organizational Development

Per College policy, students minoring in ASJ may count up to three shared courses with their major.

In addition, several departmental topics courses as well as honors and general education courses are and

would be congruent with ASJ and could count for the minor.

Sample ASJ-Congruent Departmental Topics Courses

• ANT 395 Activism & Social Change

• PHI 240 Gandhi and Social Justice

Sample ASJ-Congruent RCCs

• RCC 100 BlackLivesMatter

• RCC 100 LGBTQ+ Solidarity & Equality

Sample ASJ-Congruent rFLA Courses

• rFLA 100A Performance Ethnography

• rFLA 100C Food Democracy

• rFLA 200A Theatre, Creativity and Social Change (CE)

• rFLA 200C Inequality & Privilege

• rFLA 200C Murder, Memory, Maya

• rFLA 200C Climate Change Politics (CE)

• rFLA 200H Societies and Identity in the Middle East

• rFLA 200H Ethics and Global Justice

• rFLA 300 Ethics & Social Justice

• rFLA 300 Minorities in the Middle East

• rFLA 300 Learn/Teach About the Holocaust (CE)

• rFLA 300 Practicing Social Justice (CE)

• rFLA 300 Theatre, Identity, and Difference

V. Procedure for New ASJ Courses

The proposed minor welcomes courses, existing and new. The ASJ director and an interdisciplinary

steering committee will review proposals to:

• count existing courses as ASJ electives or ASJ applied electives

• develop new ASJ electives and applied electives

• develop additional ASJ foundations (105), research methods (205), and theory (305) courses

See Appendix for more detailed requirements.

Per standard procedure, all changes to the minor will be forwarded to the Curriculum Committee for review.

VI. Sample ASJ-Congruent Graduate Programs

• Arizona State University, School of Social Transformation: Justice Studies (MS, PhD)

• Australian Catholic University, Institute for Social Justice: Social and Political Thought (PhD)

• Canadian Mennonite University: Peacebuilding and Collaborative Development (MA)

• Eastern Mennonite University, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding: Restorative Justice (MA),

Conflict Transformation (MA)

• Rollins College, Graduate Studies in Counseling: Counseling Psychology (MA, social justice

focused)

• University of British Columbia, The Social Justice Institute: Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social

Justice (MA, PhD)

• University of Massachusetts (Amherst), College of Education: Social Justice Education (MEd, PhD)

• University of Massachusetts (Boston): Global Inclusion and Social Development (MA, PhD)

• University of Notre Dame, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies: Global Affairs –

International Peace Studies (MGA), Peace Studies (PhD)

• University of San Diego, Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice: Conflict Management and

Resolution (MS), Peace and Justice (MA), Peace and Law (JD/MA), Social Innovation (MA)

• University of Toronto, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education: Social Justice Education (MA,

MEd, PhD, EdD)

• Vanderbilt: Community Development and Action (MEd), Community Research and Action (PhD)

VII. Sample ASJ-Congruent Careers

• Clergy

• Counselor

• Documentary filmmaker

• Educator

• Lawyer

• Nongovernmental organization member (e.g., community organizer, legislative consultant)

• Public health advocate

• Public official

• Social worker

• Teacher

VIII. Parallel Programs

Benchmark School

Program(s)

Allegheny College

Community and Justice Studies (major, minor)

Elon

Poverty & Social Justice (minor)

Emerson College

Peace and Social Justice (minor)

Furman University

Poverty Studies (minor)

High Point University

Social Innovation (minor)

Hobart & William Smith

Social Justice Studies; Civic Engagement & Social Justice (minors)

Hollins University

Social Justice (minor)

Hope College

Peace and Justice (minor)

Luther College

Social Welfare (minor)

Manhattan College

Peace and Justice Studies (major, minor)

IX. Departmental Budget Impact: no increase is anticipated. The interdisciplinary ASJ minor will rely on

existing and new courses that are—or will be—cross-listed with other programs and taught on-load. The

minor does not require new faculty lines, though any faculty member in any department or program is

welcome to participate.

X. Report on Library Resources: compiled by Jonathan Harwell, Head of Content Curation

In Olin Library we affirm that we currently have substantial resources across formats to support this

important and relevant new program of study. The library faculty members through existing liaison

relationships with all contributing departments have the expertise to partner with the ASJ teaching faculty

and support the academic progress of students pursuing the minor. (Jonathan Harwell, Head of Content

Curation; Deborah Prosser, Director of Olin Library)

Along with large collections of journals and books in various formats, the Olin Library currently has the following

databases to support the proposed program:

• Academic Search Ultimate: Full-text articles from more than 9200 scholarly journals and popular

publications covering a wide range of topics, including global health, public health, epidemiology

and communicable diseases.

• Academic Video Online: More than 64,000 video titles spanning the widest range of subject areas

including anthropology, business, counseling, film, health, history, music, and more, curated for the

educational experience.

• African American History Database: A robust catalog of data provided by Infobase

• African American Newspapers Series I: 1827-1998 and Series 2: 1835-1956: These collections

include access to a wealth of U.S. newspapers that chronicle a century and a half of the African

American experience. Includes many rare and historically significant newspapers related to

cultural, literary, ethnic, and social history.

• African American Periodicals, 1825-1995: Features more than 170 wide-ranging periodicals by and

about African Americans.

• Access World News: Find global information on topics related to business, communication,

education, environmental studies, health, international studies, performing and fine arts, political

science, religion, social issues and more from a variety of news media featuring newspapers,

videos, images and web-only content including the Orlando Sentinel, Miami Herald, USA Today

and international sources.

• Chicago Defender: Offers primary source material essential to the study of American history and

African American culture, history, politics, and the arts. The Chicago Defender (1910-1975) was a

leading African American newspaper, with a wide readership outside Chicago.

• Communications and Mass Media Complete: This database offers nearly 420 full-text journals on

Communications, Mass Communications, Mass Media, etc.

• Federal Surveillance of African Americans, 1920-1984: Throughout the twentieth century Black

Americans of all political persuasions were subject to federal scrutiny, harassment, and

prosecution. The Federal Bureau of Investigation enlisted black "confidential special informants" to

infiltrate a variety of organizations. Hundreds of documents in this collection were originated by

such operatives. The reports provide a wealth of detail on "Negro" radicals and their organizations.

In addition to infiltration, the FBI contributed to the infringement of First Amendment freedoms by

making its agents a constant visible presence at radical rallies and meetings. This archive is based

on original microfilm.

• Films on Demand: A comprehensive, curriculum-focused video subscription providing unlimited

access to thousands of videos. With over 26,000 titles and counting, Films on Demand includes

Oscar, Emmy, and Peabody award-winning documentaries and A-list performances spanning the

arts.

• Films on Demand: Archival Films & Newsreels: Video Collection Over 5000 archival films &

newsreels from Films on Demand

• GreenFile: Covers articles examining human impact on the environment, with indexing, abstracts,

and some Open Access full text.

• Hispanic American Newspapers, 1808-1980: Hispanic views on nearly every major theme in

American life. Hundreds of searchable newspapers published in the United States by Hispanics.

• The History Makers: The HistoryMakers is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational

institution committed to preserving and making widely accessible the untold personal stories of

both well-known and unsung African Americans. Through the media and a series of user-friendly

products, services and events, The HistoryMakers enlightens, entertains and educates the public,

helping to refashion a more inclusive record of American history.

• ICPSR (Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research): Data archive of more than

250,000 files of research in the social sciences. It hosts 21 specialized collections of data in

education, aging, criminal justice, substance abuse, terrorism, and other fields.

• Independent Voices: A digital collection of alternative press newspapers, magazines and journals,

drawn from the special collections of participating libraries.

• JSTOR: Access to full-text articles (with a delay of 3-5 years) from leading scholarly journals in a

wide range of disciplines, including Anthropology, Population Studies, Sociology, Health Policy,

Health Sciences, and Public Health.

• Kanopy Streaming Service: This database provides access to videos that can be streamed and

viewed instantly. Collections include feature films, educational documentaries, and rare archival

footage on a variety of topics.

• ProQuest Research Library: Access to full-text business information in the health industry as well

as popular and scholarly periodical literature in global health, public health, and health policy.

• Race Relations in America: Based at Fisk University from 1943-1970, the Race Relations

Department and its annual Institute were set up by the American Missionary Association to

investigate problem areas in race relations and develop methods for educating communities and

preventing conflict. Documenting three pivotal decades in the fight for civil rights, this resource

showcases the speeches, reports, surveys, and analyses produced by the Department’s staff and

Institute participants, including Charles S. Johnson, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Thurgood

Marshall.

• Ralph J. Bunche Oral Histories Collection on the Civil Rights Movement: The Ralph J. Bunche Oral

History Collection from the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center is a unique resource for the study

of the era of the American civil rights movement. Included here are transcriptions of close to 700

interviews with those who made history in the struggles for voting rights, against discrimination in

housing, for the desegregation of the schools, to expose racism in hiring, in defiance of police

brutality, and to address poverty in the African American communities.

• Research Methods Primary Sources: Nearly 200 essays, videos, how to guides, and case studies

by subject specialists that explain how to use primary sources.

• Roper Center iPOLL: A large collection of poll data, 1935 to present, all US polling firms, broad

topical coverage of opinions and behavior on social issues, politics, pop culture, international

affairs, and more. International and US datasets available for immediate download.

• SAGE Research Methods: SAGE Research Methods supports research at all levels by providing

material to guide users through every step of the research process. Nearly everyone at Rollins is

involved in research, from students learning how to conduct research to faculty conducting

research for publication to librarians delivering research skills training and doing research on the

efficacy of library services. SAGE Research Methods has the answer for each of these user

groups, from a quick dictionary definition, a case study example from a researcher in the field, a

downloadable teaching dataset, a full-text title from the Quantitative Applications in the Social

Sciences series, or a video tutorial showing research in action.

• SocINDEX with Full Text: the world’s most comprehensive sociology research database,

encompassing the broad spectrum of sociological study.

• Web of Science: A database for the natural and social sciences indexing thousands of journals

going as far back as 1900.

Financial plan for supporting the expansion of library resources/the contracts needed for the new program and

the focus of that support

• Streaming Video: We foresee licensing perhaps five streaming films per year to support this

curriculum, at an estimated cost of $750 annually.

• Databases and Journals: We will monitor interlibrary loan usage to determine whether any

database or individual journal subscriptions might be needed to support the curriculum.

• Books: Because the library does not limit purchases based on recommendations submitted by

faculty, we foresee no need to designate a specific amount of our collection budget for the

program. Faculty who teach ASJ courses would be expected to select current library books in

support of those courses, as is generally the case with Rollins’ curricular programs.

XI. Student Testimonials

The following testimonials represent three class years, ten programs of study, and multiple student

organizations.

Farahana Cajuste (class of 2021): Hi, my name is Farahana Cajuste and I am a Junior double majoring in

Economics and Public Policy. I am the President of the Latin American Student Association, UN Millennium

Fellow, Lucy Cross Student Worker, and a PPIA Fellow at Carnegie Mellon. I think that the ASJ minor is

great initiative because it can expose students to the different approaches used in activism, advocacy, and

social change. Hopefully this can also challenge our campus/students to express their opinions in and

outside of the classroom which can lead to more overall engagement throughout our campus. I can easily

imagine a CE component to some of these courses and it would be great for Rollins on the marketing side

in regard to recruiting/attracting students who are passionate about certain issues throughout high school.

My only concern would be that I truly believe that this is an opportunity to diversify the professors who are

teaching certain topics…

Gianna Gronowski (2020): My name is Gianna Gronowski, and I am a senior at Rollins, majoring in Critical

Media & Cultural Studies, double-minoring in Creative Writing and Communication. I am the President of

Non Compis Mentis sorority, a member of Pinehurst, Spectrum, and Voices for Women, as well as an

Admissions Diplomat. When [I was] initially told…about the new ASJ program, I knew this was something

that had to be seen through to fruition. Something that I have admired about Rollins, and always tell my

tour groups, is that Rollins encourages its students to put their money where their mouths are, to practice

what they preach. Every time I have done a project, I have been encouraged by my professors, no matter

the department or discipline, to go out and actually implement my work. I think that a program being

implemented, like the ASJ minor, would work to bridge the gap between all areas and disciplines, bringing

the Rollins College community together as a whole.

Sarah Ismael (2020): My name is Sarah Ismail; I am a senior majoring in Critical Media and Cultural

Studies and minoring in Social Entrepreneurship & Business. I am the President of Rollins College's Muslim

Student Union. I am writing in support of the proposed [ASJ] minor. As a fourth-year student at Rollins, I

have noticed that there are activists present all over campus. Typically, they wander aimlessly for a few

semesters, as I did, until they inevitably bump into someone with similar values and passions, often later

than they would have wished. Creating this minor would serve as an opportunity to unify these activists and

enable them to collaborate in an organized and intentional manner with the guidance and support of faculty.

I believe this minor has great potential at Rollins and that it would be widely embraced by the student body.

Papaa Kodzi (2021): Hello, my name is Papaa Kodzi and I am a junior studying Biology and

Communication. I am the President of Rollins Black Student Union, Treasurer for Cru, Resident Assistant,

and Admissions Diplomat. When I heard about the proposed ASJ program I was immediately in full

support. Rollins is a school [of] activists. We are all fighting for humanity in our various sectors and

individual organizations so a program that can formalize what students are already passionate about is the

perfect next step. We must take steps to take it from a dream to a reality. This is the way that Rollins can

continue to lead the change.

Laura Pachon (2021): My name is Laura Pachon and I am a junior at Rollins College. I am studying

International Relations with a minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. As well, I am the President

of Amnesty International, a Wellness Ambassador, a 2019 Fall Peer Mentor, and have a work-study with

the Athletics Department. The [ASJ] minor, to me, seems to be one that is needed on campus. When [this

idea was proposed] to several student leaders… I was immediately excited. In my opinion, this campus is

full of students who are looking to make changes for the better in society but may not know where to start. I

thought of myself in this case. I reinstated the Amnesty International Chapter here at Rollins although I

didn’t feel I had the experience for this; slowly, I am getting the hang of it, but if I had this minor at my

fingertips when I had the idea of reinstating this organization it would have assisted in making us have a

larger impact and influence on campus.

XII. Appendix: ASJ Course Approval Form

1. Core foundations courses will:

• engage students in exploring their own dominant and marginalized social identity locations and

experiences

• expose students to power-sharing stances that promote advocacy in solidarity with affected

communities

• examine the history and models of successful social movements

• culminate in students researching, designing, and engaging in one or more social-justice-focused

campaigns

Please articulate how your course reflects and advances each of the above:

2. Core methods courses will

• expose students to diverse practices and examples of social-justice-focused research

• engage students in semester-long projects involving both library research and original research,

ideally in solidarity with one or more marginalized populations

Please articulate how your course reflects and advances each of the above:

3. Core theory courses will explore from an intersectional perspective multiple liberation and social justice

approaches, including (but not limited to)

• Freirean liberation theory

• critical theory

• feminist theories (stretching beyond Western mainstream feminism)

• decolonial frameworks

Please articulate how your course reflects and advances each of the above:

4. An ASJ (non-applied) elective will be infused with social justice values, principles, and practices. As

stated in the ASJ curriculum: “Social justice involves a deep analysis of social problems and systemic

inequalities and the collaborative building of fair, equitable alternatives.”

Please describe how your course reflects and advances the above:

5. An ASJ applied elective will be infused with social justice values, principles, and practices. In addition,

students will actively engage in the analysis and transformation of social systems through social justice

initiatives.

Please describe the activist initiatives in which students will engage and HOW those could contribute to

systemic change:

XIII: Work Cited

Bell, L. A. (2016). Theoretical foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, D. J.

Goodman, & K. Y. Joshi (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (3

edition) (pp. 3-26).

Routledge.

February 15, 2022

The English Department is requesting permission from CC to allow all 200-level English

literature (ENG) courses count as rFLA Humanities division substitution courses (taking the

place of rFLA200H) starting in Fall 2022.

The logic for this request is multifold:

• The recent college budget cuts (we lost a lecturer and several adjuncts) have made it

increasingly difficult to staff both our major and minor courses as well as effectively

serve the rFLA, RCC, and Honors programs. Currently, we have two ENG courses

(ENG234 and ENG245) that serve as Humanities division substitution courses. I've been

told that the English Department's current divisional substitution courses (ENG234 and

ENG245) are the LEAST USED substitution courses on the approved list. This is, in

part, because these courses are no longer offered regularly. Moving to a more expansive

division substitution model will allow us to preserve flexibility with course scheduling

and provide the rFLA program with a consistent place to send students.

• The college consistently needs more rFLA H courses from our department than we can

staff. We wouldn't be withdrawing from the rFLA program by any means...adding

courses to the division substitution list will relieve pressure on both our department and

the rFLA program during semesters when need is high.

• All English literature courses (marked ENG2xx) on the course schedule have the same

learning goals and outcomes (see below) so it makes sense to include all of them on the

list of possible substitutions. ENGW2xx (Writing courses) have different learning

outcomes and WILL NOT be included on the substitution list.

• We do not consistently teach one or two specific 200-level courses. Instead, we pull

from a range of 10-15 200-level prefix call numbers.

We currently offer between 4-5 200-level ENG courses each semester. If our proposal is

approved, it would which effectively double the number of rFLA 200H division

substitution courses being offered by the English Department each semester.

We recognize that increasing the number of substitution courses by our department may impact

other Humanities departments, so we reached out to them and secured their blessing to move

forward with this proposal (see email chain below).

Thank you for your consideration of this proposal.

Problem:

The Academic Appeals committee has seen an increase in students appealing an academic policy

(usually the withdrawal deadline or the late credit/no credit deadline) due to not receiving a formal

academic warning. However, in many cases, the student has received other feedback from the faculty

such as emails, grades in Canvas, returned assignments, etc. The Academic Appeals committee policy

has always been to consider all forms of feedback and communication between the faculty and the

student. However, this approach is not born out by official policy in the Faculty Handbook or College

Catalog which only discusses academic warnings.

Current Language in Faculty Handbook and Catalog:

ACADEMIC WARNING SYSTEM

Faculty complete academic warning forms for students who are performing at unsatisfactory levels in

their courses during weeks four (4) to twelve (12) of each term. Unsatisfactory academic performance

includes poor attendance, lack of participation, failure to complete assignments on time, poor test and

quiz grades, poor quality of written work, studio work, or laboratory work, or an estimated grade of 'C-'

or lower in the course. The withdrawal without penalty deadline occurs in the tenth week of each

semester; students may exercise their one-time, late CR/NC option through 5 p.m. on the last day of

classes each term. Additional information on the College’s Academic Warning System is available at

http://www.rollins.edu/catalogue/academic_regulations.html.

Academic warnings are sent via campus e-mail to the student, faculty advisor, and professional advisors.

Students receiving warnings are directed to meet with the professor of the course, as well as their

faculty advisor, to discuss issues of concern, strategies for improvement, and other options including

withdrawal from courses or exercise of the Late Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) option. In addition to these

interventions, the Academic Advising Services staff also contacts students when they have been referred

to the Tutoring and/or the Writing Center, or if they are deemed academically “at risk” for other reasons

(multiple academic warnings, students with learning disabilities, and those on academic probation).

Suggested Language Updates:

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND ACADEMIC WARNING SYSTEM

Unsatisfactory academic performance includes poor attendance, lack of participation, failure to

complete assignments on time, poor test and quiz grades, poor quality of written work, studio work, or

laboratory work, or an estimated grade of 'C-' or lower in the course. Faculty communicate with

students about their academic performance in a course in various ways. This communication may take

the form of emails, in-person meetings, graded course work, learning management system postings,

and/or academic warnings.

Faculty may complete formal academic warning forms for students who are performing at

unsatisfactory levels in their courses. Academic warnings are sent via campus e-mail to the student,

faculty advisor, and professional advisors. Students receiving warnings are directed to meet with the

professor of the course, as well as their faculty advisor, to discuss issues of concern, strategies for

improvement, and other options including withdrawal from courses or exercise of the Late Credit/No

Credit (CR/NC) option. In addition to these interventions, the Academic Advising Services staff also

contacts students if they are deemed academically “at risk” for other reasons (multiple academic

warnings, those on academic probation). Additional information on the College’s Academic Warning

System is available at http://www.rollins.edu/catalogue/academic_regulations.html.

The withdrawal without penalty deadline occurs in the tenth week of each semester; students may

exercise their one-time, late CR/NC option through 5 p.m. on the last day of classes each term.

Thank you all so much for your support. And your quick reply!

Jana Mathews, Ph.D.

Professor of Medieval Literature| Chair, Department of English

President, College of Liberal Arts Faculty

Rollins College

1000 Holt Ave Box-2766 Winter Park, FL 32792

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/janamathews1

Webex: https://rollins.webex.com/meet/jmathews

From: Eric Smaw <ESMA[email protected]>

Sent: Friday, November 5, 2021 4:27 PM

To: Steven Schoen <[email protected]>; Patricia Tome <PT[email protected]>

Cc: Jana Mathews <JMA[email protected]>

Subject: Re: Humanities Division Substitution Courses offered by the ENG Department

Hi Jana et al,

Yes, I wholeheartedly endorse the request. We are being asked to do more with less, so we

must give ourselves the flexibility to meet the needs of the curriculum.

Cheers,

Eric

From: Steven Schoen <[email protected]>

Sent: Friday, November 5, 2021 1:51 PM

To: Patricia Tome <PT[email protected]>

Cc: Jana Mathews <JMA[email protected]>; Eric Smaw <ESMA[email protected]>

Subject: Re: Humanities Division Substitution Courses offered by the ENG Department

Hola Jana,

I not only endorse this request, but I would also argue that some of the 300-level

courses we currently teach in Spanish are adequate RFla course substitutions

(these are courses we teach in translation for the RFla program). Our department

has NO courses whatsoever on that list.

Great forward thinking!!

patricia

From: Jana Mathews <JMA[email protected]>

Sent: Friday, November 5, 2021 1:30 PM

To: Eric Smaw <ESMA[email protected]>; Steven Schoen <[email protected]>;

Patricia Tome <[email protected]>

Subject: Humanities Division Substitution Courses offered by the ENG Department

Dear Fellow Humanities Department Chairs,

I'm preaching to the choir when I say that the recent college

budget cuts (we lost a lecturer and several adjuncts) have

made it increasingly difficult to staff both our major and minor

courses as well as effectively serve the rFLA, RCC, and

Honors programs. Currently, we have two ENG courses

(ENG234 and ENG245) that serve as Humanities division

substitution courses (taking the place of rFLA200H). I'm

writing you today in my capacity as English Department

chair to seek your blessing in petitioning the Curriculum

Committee to allow all our 200-level English literature (not

writing) courses to count as rFLA Humanities division

substitution courses. The logic for this request is multifold:

I've been told that the English Department's current

divisional substitution courses (ENG234 and ENG245) are

the LEAST USED substitution courses on the approved list

(attachment A).

The college consistently needs more rFLA H courses from

our department than we can staff. We wouldn't be

withdrawing from the rFLA program by any means...adding

courses to the division substitution list will relieve pressure

on both our department and the rFLA program during

semesters when need is high.

All English literature courses (marked ENG2xx) on the

course schedule have the same learning goals and

outcomes (see attachment B) so it makes sense to include

all of them on the list of possible substitutions. ENGW2xx

(Writing courses) have different learning outcomes and

WILL NOT be included on the substitution list.

Our staffing losses have required us to distribute our

course offerings in a different way than in the past. We

used to consistently offer ENG234 and ENG245 but now

we don't. Moving to a more expansive division substitution

model will allow us to preserve flexibility with course

scheduling and provide the rFLA program with a consistent

place to send students.

We currently offer between 4-5 200-level ENG courses

each semester. If our proposal is approved, it would which

effectively double the number of rFLA 200H division

substitution courses being offered by the English

Department each semester...which is why we are emailing

you. As mentioned above, ENG courses have not been

popular divisional substitution courses, but more students might

be headed our way (out of desperation if nothing else) if the

hiring freeze continues.

Even if you endorse this request, we don't see the move as a

policy etched in stone, but rather as a flexible practice that is

subject to revision at any time.

We welcome your feedback, questions, and concerns on this

proposal. If all goes well, we are hoping to submit it to

Curriculum Committee by November 12, so I'd be grateful for

your thoughts, strong opinions, or proverbial thumbs up before

then.

Many thanks,

Jana

Jana Mathews, Ph.D.

Professor of Medieval Literature| Chair, Department of English

President, College of Liberal Arts Faculty

Rollins College

1000 Holt Ave Box-2766 Winter Park, FL 32792

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/janamathews1

Webex: https://rollins.webex.com/meet/jmathews

In the following report, Hanover assesses demand for an

undergraduate minor in social justice, specifically

highlighting demand trends within Florida and the

Southeast region. This report includes an examination of

student and labor market demand, and an analysis of

potential competitor programs.

MARKET ANALYSIS

Minor in Advocacy and Social Justice

Prepared for Rollins College

May 2021

HIGHER EDUCATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary

Degree Completions Analysis

Labor Market Analysis

Competitor Analysis

Program Trends

12 /

Program Benchmarking

HIGHER EDUCATION

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on an analysis of degree completions, labor market demand, and market competitors, Hanover recommends that Rollins College:

Proceed with developing a socia l justice-focused minor.

Within the Southeast region, bachelor’s degree conferral rates in related fields are increasing quickly, demonstrating growing student demand. However,

current competitive landscape trends reveal few degree options for students who want to focus their undergraduate education on social justice. In

particular, many Florida institutions currently do not appear to offer programming this field. Additionally, the labor market outlook for social justice-related

occupations is positive as employment in related occupations is growing across geographic regions. Hanover thus recommends proceeding with the

development of a social justice-related minor due to the high level of student demand in addition to the high level of expected employment growth.

Title the minor “Advocacy and Soci al Justice.”

The terms “advocacy” and “activism” have very distinct differences. Notably, advocacy is seen as working inside a system to create change, whereas activism

is seen as working outside the system to create change. Activism, while it could be described as a form of advocacy, may have a less favorable connotation.

Benchmarked programs reflect this trend, as they do not refer to “activism” even if they emphasize student advocacy and engagement. As a result, Rollins

should title its new program “Advocacy and Social Justice” to ensure consistency with the minor’s outcomes and alignment with competitive landscape

trends when marketing to future students.

Emphasize experiential learning opportunities in internal and external marketing opportunities.

Several benchmarked programs provide opportunities for students to put social justice theory into practice, offering internship or service learning

opportunities. Online job postings trends also reveal a preference for candidates with a demonstrated passion for social justice. As a result, emphasizing

experiential learning in promoting the new program may help attract future student advocates on campus while also signaling the career preparedness of

graduates to outside employers.

HIGHER EDUCATION

9.6%, 9.7%

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

KEY FINDINGS

Student demand is mixed across geographic regions, though few relevant

programs are available in Florida. Nationally, degree conferral rates in

social justice-related fields declined at an annualized rate of 1.1 percent

between 2015 and 2019, compared to the 1.5 percent growth across all

bachelor’s programs. Regionally, degree conferral rates are growing rapidly

at a rate of 9.6 percent, compared to the average of 1.8 percent across all

bachelor’s degree programs in the Southeast. Notably, Florida institutions

do not yet appear to offer many social justice-related offerings.

Labor demand in social justice-related occupations is expected to grow

across all geographic regions. Within the state of Florida, social justice-

related occupations are expected to grow by 10.9 percent, just faster than

the state average employment growth rate of 9.0 percent across all

occupations. When analyzing nonprofit trends, Florida has no shortage of

organizations fighting for social justice and advocating for a better future

for all Floridians; as they grow, so too will their need to employ more social

justice advocates.

Social justice-related jobs in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metro area

tend to be in occupations related to social work and human services.

Many of the jobs request candidates who have a background in and passion

for social justice work, signaling the potential advantage of programs that

incorporate experiential learning opportunities. Several roles require

candidates to be comfortable working with children and families. Roughly

half (48.5 percent) of recent social justice-related job openings require

candidates to hold a bachelor’s degree.

Benchmarked programs require students to complete at least one

foundational social justice course, alongside interdisciplinary elective

options. Seven peer institutions require students to take a foundational

course. Popular elective topics include history, law, political science, and

religion/faith courses.

Average number of credits required for completion

of minor across benchmarked institutions.

19.7

Number of minor programs that require students

to complete an internship as part of their

requirements.

State of Florida expected employment growth rate

across social justice-related occupations.

10.9%

FAST FACTS

REGIONAL BENCHMARK ANALYSIS

Comparison of bachelor’s degree completions and relevant labor market to all

completions and all occupations in the Southeast region

Emerging Program High Growth Program

Established Program

Low Growth Program

1.8%

Labor Market Growth Rate, 2018-2028

Annualized Degree Completions Growth Rate, 2015-2019

Regional Average,

All Occupations

Regional Average, All Programs

HIGHER EDUCATION

Source: IPEDS

STUDENT DEMAND ANALYSIS

FLORIDA & SOUTHEAST REGIONAL DEGREE

COMPLETIONS

State and regional distribution of degree completions from 2015 to 2019

TOTAL DEGREE COMPLETIONS

Aggregate degree completions by geographic level (2019)

ANALYSIS

Trends among bachelor’s degree completions in social justice-related

fields are mixed across geographic regions.

State-level demand for the proposed program is difficult to estimate as

few institutions currently report undergraduate offerings in social justice-

related fields. As of 2019, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University –

Daytona Beach is the only Florida institution that reports a relevant full

degree program in Peace Studies. However, other Florida institutions offer

related undergraduate minors, including the University of Central Florida

(Diversity and Social Inequality Minor) and Florida Gulf Coast University

(Peace and Social Justice Minor).

Within the Southeast region, bachelor’s degree conferrals in social justice-

related fields increased at an annualized rate of 9.6 percent. This rate of

growth is far above the regional average of 1.8 percent across all

bachelor’s degree programs. Note that this analysis is based on bachelor’s

degree completions, which serve as a proxy for student demand for minors

as institutions are not required to report data for undergraduate minors.

The impact of national current events has led to increased interest in

social justice issues on university campuses.

Following the racial justice protests in the summer of 2020, higher

education institutions have been making a greater effort to incorporate

social justice themes into their curricula. Such efforts include antiracism

courses or general education requirements in diversity, equity, and

inclusion topics. Some institutions have also hired new faculty or scholars-

in-residence who specialize in such issues, which can strengthen the

efficacy and depth of new curricula. However, experts caution that

institutions considering new programming must ensure that their offerings

are substantive and that they are not merely “virtue signaling” in response

to current events.

Florida Southeast National

Community Organization and Advocacy 0 60 1,625

Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution 12 231 609

Total Completions, Observed Fields 12 291 2,234

Growth Rate, Observed Fields N/A 9.6% -1.1%

Growth Rate, All Fields 1.9% 1.8% 1.5%

138

160

189

180

201 231

100

150

200

250

300

350

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Southeast Degree Completions

100

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Florida Degree Completions

Peace Stu dies an d Conflict R esolution

Com mun ity Organ iz ation and A dvocacy

HIGHER EDUCATION

LABOR MARKET ANALYSIS

FLORIDA CURRENT AND PROJECTED

EMPLOYMENT

Florida social justice-related positions as of 2019 and 2029 (projected)

Florida Southeast National

Estimated Employment (2018) 100,274 370,293 1,862,700

Projected Employment (2028) 111,249 406,322 2,049,000

Total Annual Openings, Observed

Occupations

8,541 32,759 160,200

Employment Growth, Observed

Occupations

10.9% 9.7% 10.0%

Employment Growth, All Occupations 9.0% 8.0% 3.7%

TOTAL LABOR MARKET

Aggregate projected employment growth by geographic level

ANALYSIS

Employment in related occupations is project to grow slightly faster than

total job growth in the state and region.

By 2028, state employment in social justice-related occupations is

projected to grow 10.9 percent, just faster than the average growth of 9.0

percent for all occupations across Florida. Similarly, relevant occupations

are expected to grow by 9.7 percent in the Southeast, just faster than the

regional average employment growth rate of 8.0 percent across all

occupations. Nationally, however, social justice-related occupations are

expected to grow at 10.0 percent, far outpacing the national average

employment growth rate of 3.7 percent across all occupations.

Individuals interested in social justice careers can find employment in a

diverse array of industries and organizational types.

Institutions that offer bachelor’s degree programs in social justice often

advertise that graduates can find employment in positions such as

1,2

Additionally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that growing

employment opportunities in social and human services organizations will

be fueled in part by growing demand for addiction treatment programs. In

particular, demand for such services will increase as individuals are

increasingly sent to these facilities for treatment, rather than sentenced to

criminal justice institutions.

Source: Projections Central

Note: Due to data update schedules, national data refer to the period 2019 to 2029.

3,773

11,272

11,078

12,625

61,526

4,318

12,867

12,402

13,899

67,763

0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000

Social and community service

manag ers

Child, family, and school social

workers

Com mun ity an d social service

specialists, all other

Social and human service

assistants

Lawyers

2028 2018

§ Non-profit organizations or

foundations (over 98,000 in FL)

§ Education

§ Government or legislative

advocacy

§ Health care

§ International organizations § Religious institutions

§ Think tanks or policy institutes § Social workers

HIGHER EDUCATION

REAL-TIME JOB POSTINGS INTELLIGENCE

TOP SOCIAL JUSTICE-RELATED OCCUPATIONS

Job postings volume for social justice-related occupations in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford MSA

that specifically mentioned the key phrase “social justice.”

Social and Community Service Managers

Lawyers

Community an d Social Service Specialists, All

Other

Child, Family, and School Social Workers

Social and Human Service Assistants

Note: For this analysis, Hanover retrieved job postings data for social justice-related positions

in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metro area from JobsEQ, a proprietary database providing

real-time job postings aggregated from thousands of websites. All data reflect the 180-day

period as of April 2021.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

40.4%

6.1%

48.5%

4.0%

1.0%

High School Diploma or Equivalent

Associate's degree

Bac helor's d egree

Master's degree

Doctoral

Note: 19 listings did not specify educational attainment requirements.

TOP LOCAL EMPLOYERS

§ LifeStream

Behavioral Center

§ Youth Advocate

Programs, Inc.

§ TrueCore

Behavioral

Solutions, LLC

§ State of Florida § Children’s Home

Society of Florida

§ Osceola County

§ One Hope United § BAYS Florida § Boys Town

ANALYSIS

Social justice-related openings in Rollins’ local area tend to fall in social

work and advocacy fields.

Over the previous six months, local employers posted 118 social justice-

related online job openings. Job titles range from case manager to victim

advocate to program specialist, emphasizing work in advocacy and social

welfare. Many jobs require candidates to be comfortable working with

children and families. Roughly half of the jobs in the local area that

specifically mentioned the key phrase “social justice” require candidates to

have a bachelor’s degree.

EXEMPLARY LOCAL JOB POSTINGS

Position Employer Location Skills and Requirements

Victim /

Witness

Advocate

City of

Ocoee, FL

§ Bachelor’s degree in Psychology,

Sociology, or Criminal Justice

preferred

§ Must possess or obtain access to

Florida and National Crime

Information Center (FCIC and

NCIC)

§ Strong interpersonal skills

OPASS

AmeriCorps

Member

City of

Orlando

Orlando, FL

§ Bachelor’s coursework (30-60

hours completed) preferred

§ Experience with children

§ Bilingual in Spanish and English

helpful

§ Desire to enact social justice

change on local level

HIGHER EDUCATION

9.6%, 3.9%

-1 5.0%

0.0%

15.0%

-1 5.0% 0.0% 15.0%

Programs Offered Growth

Rate

Degree Completions Growth Rate

COMPETITOR ANALYSIS

ANALYSIS

Regional market conditions indicate that the proposed minor in advocacy

and social justice is viable.

From 2015 to 2019, bachelor’s degree completions in social justice-related

fields increased at an above-average rate of 9.6 percent. While the number

of degree programs in this field also grew during this period, few social

justice-related minors are available in Florida. As a result, Rollins should

encounter a favorable environment for its proposed minor, particularly as

the resource investment required is minimal.

To provide Rollins with a comprehensive understanding of the competitive

market, Hanover benchmarked 10 social justice minors across the nation.

Most programs were drawn from Rollins’ list of parallel programs. A

summary of benchmarked programs are shown below.

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL MARKET SATURATION

Within the Southeast region, do competitive conditions support an additional social justice

program?

Competitive conditions support a

new degree program

Competitive conditions may

cause an oversupply of existing

programs

Competitive conditions are

unsuitable to support a new

program

Student demand exists, but may

be satisfied by existing programs

BENCHMARKED INSTITUTIONS

Institution Location Institution Type

Student Population

Minor

Allegheny College

Meadville, PA

4-year, private, liberal arts 1,735 Community & Justice Studies

Elon University

Elon, NC

4-year, private, liberal arts 6,196 Poverty & Social Justice

Emerson College

Boston, MA

4-year, private, liberal arts 4,919 Peace & Social Justice

Furman University

Greenville, SC

4-year, private, liberal arts 2,731 Poverty Studies

High Point University

High Point, NC

4-year, private, liberal arts 4,498 Civic Responsibility & Social Innovation

Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Geneva, NY

4-year, private, liberal arts 2,206 Social Justice Studies

Hollins University

Roanoke, VA

4-year, private, liberal arts 666 Social Justice

Hope College

Holland, MI

4-year, private, liberal arts 3,046 Peace & Justice

Merrimack College

North Andover, MA

4-year, private, liberal arts 3,648 Social Justice

Manhattan College

Bronx, NY

4-year, private, liberal arts 3,654 Peace & Justice Studies

HIGHER EDUCATION

PROGRAM TRENDS

INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Three of the benchmarked undergraduate social justice minors

require students to engage in a relevant, pre-approved internship

in order to complete the minor. These internships can be

completed over the summer or during the academic year.

SPECIALIZATIONS

Most benchmarked degree programs focus generally on social

justice. Two programs (Elon and Furman) specialize in poverty and

social justice, while High Point specifically focuses on civic

engagement and social innovation rather than general social

justice topics.

MINOR CREDIT REQUIREMENTS

Credit requirements for a social justice-focused minor range from a low of

15 credits at Manhattan College to a high of 24 credits at Furman

University. The average number of credits for a social justice minor is 19.7.

DELIVERY FORMAT

No benchmarked undergraduate minors

offer an online or hybrid model of

coursework.

All 10 benchmarked undergraduate

minors require on-campus enrollment.

19.7

Manhattan College

Emerson C ollege

Average

Hollins Univers ity

Hope College

Merrimack College

Allegheny College

Elon University

High Point U niversity

Furman University

Note: Hobart and William Smith Colleges are excluded as they have a unique course credit system.

MINOR PROGRAM NOMENCLATURE

Benchmarked institutions primarily use program titles that broadly focus on social

justice with few offering specific concentrations.

All but two of the benchmarked programs specifically mention justice or social justice

in their name. Three institutions offer specific concentrations in either poverty or civic

responsibility. Notably, the one program that stresses activism/advocacy, High Point’s

Civic Responsibility and Social Innovation minor, uses the general term “Civic

Responsibility.” Within the marketing of the minor, institutions do not specifically use

the term “activism.” Instead, they emphasize the development of strong advocacy and

critical thinking skills, as well as the interdisciplinary nature of the minor. Some

institutions advertise the hands-on learning required in the program.

Only two of the benchmarked undergraduate minors do not explicitly mention justice

or social justice in their name, instead titling the program based on topics specifically

covered in the minor (i.e., poverty and social innovation). Benchmarked programs lean

away from explicitly discussing activism and lean towards emphasizing advocacy,

theoretical analysis, and interdisciplinary approaches to social justice.

HIGHER EDUCATION

MINOR PROGRAM MARKETING

MARKETING

Benchmarked program websites tend to focus messaging around how to

prepare students to become future global changemakers and leaders.

In particular, benchmarked programs emphasize student outcomes,

including potential career paths and learning outcomes.

Source: Institutional websites.

Students will “be positioned to pursue post-graduate

work with the Peace Corp, NGOs, religious

organizations, international agencies and

corporations, and political, environmental and

economic groups.” – Hope College

Potential

Occupations

“The program allows you to develop a course of

study that allows you to examine a particular issue

– for example, racial justice, immigration,

economical justice – from multiple disciplinary

angles.” – Manhattan College

Individualized

Approach

“Community and Justice Studies (COMJ)

investigates challenges facing communities,

analyzes key methods of social action, develops

ethical reasoning, and directly engages students in

responsible engagement in our community.”

– Allegheny College

Minor

Outcomes

“The mission of the Poverty and Social Justice

program at Elon is to educate students about the

multiple causes and structural nature of poverty so

that they might work more effectively toward its

end.” – Elon University

Mission of

Minor

TOP MARKETING THEMES

Impact as Global Citizen

Development of Framework to Understand

Social Justice

Interdisciplinary Approach

Advancement of Social Equality

Action-Based Learning Outcomes

Credit and Internship Requirements

COMMONLY ADVERTISED JOB TITLES

Case Manager

Victim Advocate

Program Specialist

Child Protective Investigator

Victim Witness Counselor

Community Organizer

HIGHER EDUCATION

CURRICULUM ANALYSIS

TYPICAL COURSEWORK

Core curriculum generally includes an introductory course in addition to one

to two other core courses depending on the concentration of the minor.

Electives allow students to focus on an area of interest within social justice

education.

ELECTIVE AREAS

Elective areas allow students to explore topics of interest in social justice

within multiple interdisciplinary fields. Below are common elective themes.

CORE VERSUS ELECTIVE COURSES

Core Curriculum

INTRODUCTORY COURSES

Introduction to Community and Justice Studies

(Allegheny)

Introduction to Poverty Studies (Elon, Furman)

Foundations of Social Justice (Hobart William Smith)

Introduction to Peace Studies (Hope)

Introduction to Social Justice Theory & Practice

(Merrimack)

Introduction to Peace and Justice Studies (Manhattan)

Electives

HISTORY COURSES

Comparative Slavery in the Atlantic World (Elon)

Rainbow Nation? Race, Class, and Culture in South

Africa (Emerson)

Life on the Margins in Early Modern Europe (Furman)

Controversial Issues in American Politics (Hollins)

LEGAL COURSES

Social Policy and Inequality (Elon)

Poverty, Medicine and the Law: Greenville’s Medical-

Legal Partnership (Furman)

Theories of Justice (Merrimack)

Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties (Manhattan)

Political Science

Religion and Faith in Social

Justice

Global Health and Wellness

Race, Class, Gender, and

Identity

Environmental Justice Human Rights

2 2

1 1

3 5

3 3

4 4

1 1

Allegheny College

Elon University

Emerson C ollege

Furman University

High Point U niversity

Hobart & William Smith Colleges

Hollins Univers ity

Hope College

Merrimack College

Manhattan College

Req uired C ourses Elective Courses Internship

HIGHER EDUCATION

Source: Institutional Websites (see embedded hyperlinks)

PROGRAM BENCHMARKING

Institution Location Program Major / Minor Credits (Minor) Minor Course Structure Notable Features

Allegheny College

Meadville,

Community and Justice Studies

Major and Minor

•

Three core courses (12

credits)

• Three electives (12 credits)

•

Minor is interdivisional, so students can

complete any major

• Can complete community and social

justice-related internship

• Focus on social justice with US and

global lens

Elon University Elon, NC Poverty and Social Justice Minor 21-24

•

Two required courses (8

semester hours)

•

Required internship /

practicum (1-4 semester

hours)

•

12 semester hours of

electives

• Students can complete internship

through Shepherd Higher Education

Consortium on Poverty since Elon is a

member institution

• Focus on poverty and inequality in US

and globally

Emerson College

Boston, MA

Peace and Social Justice Minor 16

•

Four courses (16 credits)

selected from list of pre-

approved courses

• Students encouraged to engage with

Emerson’s Office of Student

Engagement and Leadership and the

Elma Lewis Center

• Focus on critical inquiry around peace

and social justice

Furman University

Greenville,

Poverty Studies Minor 24

• One introductory course (4

credits)

•

8–10-week summer

internship

•

Five additional courses /

electives (20 credits)

• No more than two electives can be

from the same discipline, and one

elective must be focused on economic

or political science

• Listed as an interdisciplinary minor

High Point University

High Point,

Civic Responsibility and Social

Innovation

Minor 21

•

13 credits of required

courses

•

8 credits of electives from

pre-approved list

• Students in this minor are required to

complete 100 hours of service in the

City of High Point

• Students develop an e-portfolio

throughout time in minor

Benchmarked programs are offered by institutions located in the United States, as identified by Rollins College’s program proposal for the Advocacy and

Social Justice minor. Benchmarked institutions are small, private liberal arts colleges with an undergraduate enrollment of under 7,000 students. Note that

three of the ten benchmarked institutions offer a social justice major in addition to the minor.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Source: Institutional Websites (see embedded hyperlinks)

PROGRAM BENCHMARKING

Institution Location Program Major / Minor Credits (Minor) Minor Course Structure Notable Features

Hobart and William Smith

Colleges

Geneva, NY

Social Justice Studies

Civic Engagement and Social

Justice

Minors 6 courses each

•

3-4 core social justice

courses

•

Social Justice Studies:

practicum/capstone

experience

•

Civic Engagement: two

service learning/

community

based

research courses and

one seminar with

community research

•

Offers two distinct minors for students

• Civic engagement and social justice

minor focuses on service learning and

community focused research and

requires completion of research

throughout minor

•

Social justice studies minor focuses on

general social justice study

Hollins University

Roanoke, VA

Social Justice Minor 20

• One core course (4 credits)

•

Three electives from pre-

approved list (12 credits)

• Capstone course (4 credits)

•

Core courses focus on race and gender

• Challenges students to think critically

about global social justice issues (i.e.,

power, inequality, and diversity)

Hope College

Holland, MI

Peace and Justice Minor 20

•

Two required courses (8

credits)

• 12 credits of electives from

pre-approved list

• Interdisciplinary approach to

understanding peace theory and its

application

• Incorporates Christian viewpoint in

social justice work

Manhattan College Bronx, NY Peace and Justice

Major and Minor

•

Three credit introductory

course

• 12 credits of electives from

pre-approved list

• Students can participate in the SUNY

Washington Internship program

• Interdisciplinary program

•

One of the oldest social justice studies

programs in the United States

Merrimack College

North

Andover, MA

Social Justice

Major and Minor

•

Introduction to Social

Justice course (4 credits)

•

Four courses (16 credits)

within designated Social

Justice curriculum

• Students must actively participate in

social justice events including Social

Justice Week/Month

Benchmarked programs are offered by institutions located in the United States, as identified by the client’s program proposal for Advocacy and Social

Justice minor. Benchmarked institutions are small, private liberal arts colleges with undergraduate enrollment under 7,000 students. Note that three of the

ten benchmarked institutions offer a social justice major in addition to the minor.

CONTACT

hanoverresearch.com

Kyle A. Long, Ph.D.

Content Director, Higher Education

klong@hanoverresearch.com

202-793-8705

ENG Courses: Literature, Media, and Language Learning Outcomes

General Skill Sets

Writing Goals

100/200 courses

• Literature: Articulation of basic literary terminology

appropriate to genre (theme, static/dynamic

characters, point of view, etc.)

• Media: Articulation of basic media terminology

appropriate to genre (mise-en-scene, tracking shot,

diegetic/non-diegetic sound, etc.)

• Language: Articulation of basic language terminology

(lexicon, grammatical categories, sentence structure,

figures of speech, argument)

• Focus on active rather than passive reading/viewing

• Perform basic close reading/viewing

• Literary/media/linguistic analysis w/little to no research (5-7

pages)

• Basic understanding of the rhetorical situation

• Development of a strong thesis with a clear essay map

• Identifiable topic sentences with basic transitions

• Close reading(s) of primary texts as support

300 courses

• Introduction and understanding of

literary/media/linguistic critical terminology (genre,

symbolism, image, etc.)

• Focus on extended close reading/viewing

• Ability to place texts within their

literary/historical/cultural contexts

• Introduction to secondary critical sources and basic

literary/media theory

• Literary/media/linguistic analysis w/research (8-10 pages)

• Integration of quoted material (primary and secondary)

• Development of academic voice

• Work on more sophisticated essay structure/organization

400 courses

• Introduction to advanced critical theory

• Participation in the critical conversation

• Engagement with theoretical and critical sources as

primary texts

• Extended literary/linguistic analysis w/research (12-15

pages)

• Focus on placing texts (primary/secondary) in context

• Ability to clearly define critical lens used in the analysis

• Sophisticated integration of quoted material

Revised, Spring 2020