Girls Studies shouldn't have to be online!

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When Meredith Tweed, my Intro to Women's Studies professor, told me that Girls Studies would be offered in Fall 2008, I knew I had to take it. But when I found out it would be offered at a campus that was a 45 minute drive from the UCF main campus, I decided it would be too much of a hassle. However, after talking to some of the other girls who were registered for the class and hearing about possible car pool arrangements, I ultimately decided to take the course.

And I'm glad I did! Girls studies has heightened my awareness of the unique issues that girls have to deal with and their relation to feminism. Before I took this class, I had little knowledge of these issues. As a feminist and women's studies minor, I had read feminist literature and taken women's studies classes, but none of them had covered the issues of girls. This class is essential to any feminist's education and should be a required class for the women's studies major (and possibly the minor).

It makes me sad that this class has to be online from now on. One of my favorite parts of the course were the class discussions we had. Getting to know my class mates and hearing their views and personal experiences made the course particularly enlightening and enjoyable. Budget cuts are a drag, but maybe we can fundraise as a department? Or maybe we can write a letter to the administration, President Hitt, or whoever is in charge of funding for departments? While I'm glad we will continue to offer the course, a student taking the class face to face would get a lot more out of it than if they were just staring at a computer screen.

Comments

۞ Lauren said…
I totally I agree with you. I loved our in-class discussions. I learned so much more after listening to all of your opinions on the material. It really opened my mind to new perspectives.
November 30, 2008 at 9:20 PM
Lela said…
It doesn't necessarily have to be online from now on. Just for now. Maybe just the next year. We'll hope. And we have cool new classes being offered soon. Women's Studies appreciates all your support, esp. through these tough budget times, and we hope that if these classes ARE offered online, that we can make them just as awesome, esp. through Service Learning opportunities and other events. But yes, face-to-face (mediated, really), esp. for this class was IDEAL!!
November 30, 2008 at 10:34 PM
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