ST. BONAVENTURE (Feb. 18) -- Sitting at her computer, St. Bonaventure University sophomore psychology major Gwen Goad rapidly types at the keys. She has just finished her own novel, as a member of National Novel Writing Month, and will edit the raw material. Amid the fury of her fingertips, she smiles brightly as she reviews her work.
Goad, 21, nodded when the thought of a proposed creative writing major came to mind.
"I want to be a novelist. Creative writing classes would be a help to my writing, and the writing style is different for creative writing than it is for an essay. I want to be able to learn what's appropriate," Goad said.
Out of five students chosen at random, two said they would consider creative writing as their major. However, all said they would be interested in taking creative writing courses.
Richard Simpson, English professor and advocate of creative writing, said "It's something students would be interested in. I think we(the faculty) could attract students in.
"There would be the usual feature of any genre you're talking about, like poetry. However, you'd write poems in workshop format where you would get a lot of feedback," Simpson said.
Simpson said he would encourage students to think more independently by working in small groups to read and interpret poems and other literature, offering constructive criticism on one another's work and brainstorming together.
However, proposed majors must go through a tedious process to be approved, said Lee Coppola, dean of the school of journalism and mass communication.
Coppola said the process begins with whomever has the idea putting together a brief scenario to submit to the department chair or dean. The dean or department chair looks it over with the faculty, making adjustments if needed.
Coppola said deans consider two main factors when considering a proposed major: need and resources. With need, the dean has to look at the current program to see if there are sufficient academic offerings or if a new major must be created.
When faculty proposes a major, they must propose their own budget, considering things like staff and equipment, said finance department chair Jeffrey Peterson.
When looking at the proposed major from a financial standpoint, student interest should be considered, Peterson said.
With resources, main areas of focus include the debatable need for new professors, adding to St. Bonaventure as a whole and making sure it does not conflict with graduate programs, Coppola said.
"I have to look at things from an academic, practical and business side," he said.
With the provost as a new major's next stop, he looks at the cost analysis and market research, Coppola said.
"We don't want to put a lot of investment into a program and then find out it was a 'flash in the pan.' Another big factor is our ability to be able to deliver the program in a really high-quality way," said Michael Fischer, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
If approved, the proposed major then goes to faculty senate and then to the state education department. After receiving the stamp of approval from the state, it becomes a major, Coppola said.
The fate of the proposed creative writing major lies in the hands of the deans of the journalism and arts and sciences for now, Fischer said.
“I’m supportive of it in concept. I’ve asked questions of both Dean Coppola and Dean Natter, making sure we(the faculty) understand where this fits in strategically in the two schools, of journalism and arts and sciences,” Fischer said.
Goad, 21, nodded when the thought of a proposed creative writing major came to mind.
"I want to be a novelist. Creative writing classes would be a help to my writing, and the writing style is different for creative writing than it is for an essay. I want to be able to learn what's appropriate," Goad said.
Out of five students chosen at random, two said they would consider creative writing as their major. However, all said they would be interested in taking creative writing courses.
Richard Simpson, English professor and advocate of creative writing, said "It's something students would be interested in. I think we(the faculty) could attract students in.
"There would be the usual feature of any genre you're talking about, like poetry. However, you'd write poems in workshop format where you would get a lot of feedback," Simpson said.
Simpson said he would encourage students to think more independently by working in small groups to read and interpret poems and other literature, offering constructive criticism on one another's work and brainstorming together.
However, proposed majors must go through a tedious process to be approved, said Lee Coppola, dean of the school of journalism and mass communication.
Coppola said the process begins with whomever has the idea putting together a brief scenario to submit to the department chair or dean. The dean or department chair looks it over with the faculty, making adjustments if needed.
Coppola said deans consider two main factors when considering a proposed major: need and resources. With need, the dean has to look at the current program to see if there are sufficient academic offerings or if a new major must be created.
When faculty proposes a major, they must propose their own budget, considering things like staff and equipment, said finance department chair Jeffrey Peterson.
When looking at the proposed major from a financial standpoint, student interest should be considered, Peterson said.
With resources, main areas of focus include the debatable need for new professors, adding to St. Bonaventure as a whole and making sure it does not conflict with graduate programs, Coppola said.
"I have to look at things from an academic, practical and business side," he said.
With the provost as a new major's next stop, he looks at the cost analysis and market research, Coppola said.
"We don't want to put a lot of investment into a program and then find out it was a 'flash in the pan.' Another big factor is our ability to be able to deliver the program in a really high-quality way," said Michael Fischer, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
If approved, the proposed major then goes to faculty senate and then to the state education department. After receiving the stamp of approval from the state, it becomes a major, Coppola said.
The fate of the proposed creative writing major lies in the hands of the deans of the journalism and arts and sciences for now, Fischer said.
“I’m supportive of it in concept. I’ve asked questions of both Dean Coppola and Dean Natter, making sure we(the faculty) understand where this fits in strategically in the two schools, of journalism and arts and sciences,” Fischer said.
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