By Claire McCall
Amid an evolving job market and increased expectations for college graduates, academic institutions across the country are following a trend of prioritizing lucrative subjects, often moving away from humanities. Kalamazoo College English majors feel the effects of this imbalance in course recognition and representation, though their questions remain largely unanswered by administrative outlets.
As is typical for a liberal arts institution, the English department at K prides itself on core tenets with which professors teach and students learn. Their website encourages a comprehension of the world’s complexities, an analysis of literature and film, an understanding of global and historical cultures, and an assessment of how word and image shape reality.
Dr. Bruce Mills, an English professor whose PhD is centered on inclusive narratives detailing the American experience, teaches a course encompassing these principles titled Building the Archive: Baldwin and His Legacy.
Speaking to the importance of African American Literature, Dr. Mills said, “History never remains in the past; it informs the present.”
Lana Alvey ‘24, a senior English and psychology double major, has appreciated this line of humanitarian teaching. “The small, immersive, thoughtful seminar was like nothing else I had taken here at K,” Alvey said. “Even just from syllabus day, I knew we would take an archival approach to understanding personal and racial identity. My final project, for example, was a deep dive into K’s history with minstrel shows, blackface, and literary societies.” After Dr. Mills announced his retirement at the end of the 2022-23 academic year, however, the course’s future and the department’s direction became unclear.
The decision to forgo renewing this faculty line to teach African American literature comes amid a host of complications in handling faculty proposals. Even as the archival Baldwin class expands on a dialogue in conjunction with K’s own history of racism—a necessary outlet for accountability and progress—the college has decided not to continue this line of relevant learning. An English departmental letter detailing the need for an African Americanist position was sent in October of 2023 to the college’s provost, the person who traditionally analyzes departmental matters, enrollment concerns, and approves faculty searches, yet no position was secured.
Dr. Andy Mozina, an English professor who specializes in creative writing and chairs the Educational Policies Committee, recognizes the efforts made by the English department to acquire adequate communication. “We wanted to make a thorough response to the provost which crafted a clear case for the position,” said Dr. Mozina. “We made a case for the [African Americanist] position in response to national data to prove the need here at K.”
K Provost Dr. Danette Ifert Johnson declined to explain the status of this position and the process through which faculty lines are renewed. Consequently, English majors are unable to decipher the college’s motivations.
“They’re making clear their priorities, not through what they say to us, but through what they don’t say and their lack of action,” said Lauren McColley ‘24, who double majored in English and psychology and took an African American literature course with Dr. Mills during her last trimester at K. “It’s as if they don’t think we see all the protection and promotion other departments get. Yes, I’m thinking about business and economics.”
While a clear direction for the English department remains uncertain, K’s business and economics department recently added a new major quantitative economics. Dr. Mozina, as chair of the EPC, clarified that the augmentation of the economics department was not in place of renewing an English faculty line. “The particular professor had expertise in that specialty which fit with a particular demand,” said Dr. Mozina.
Yet students are aware of the optics of the administration’s decisions. Olivia Tessin, an English and economics double major, is one such student confused by the lack of communication from administration. Tessin is dually affected by the college’s decisions. “I’m happy for economics professors and students. The new major is cool for people interested specifically in data. But it’s so beneficial to go into an econ class as an English major and people don’t get that,” said Tessin.
“Does the college want to put students interested in English at a disadvantage? No, I don’t think so. But are they making it look like either/ or? It seems that way,” said Tessin. “The English department should know the direction they’re going in before we [seniors] leave. The econ department does. Staff should be held to that standard of accountability.”
Faculty likewise understand the issue of representation. Amy Smith, an English professor who specializes in literary theory, had her students read an article in The New Yorker titled “The End of the English Major,” a testament to the growing division between an emphasis on literature and language and quantitative reasoning.
“It’s like she’s reminding us of why we’re in the class, but we’re already here. We want to be here,” said Lana Alvey, currently taking Professor Smith’s course on British Literature. “It’s other people who seem to not understand why we’re here and what we’re doing.” Dr. Mills’ course on archival Baldwin will not return for the next academic year, and students are closely monitoring the college’s decisions. “I won’t be here next year, but the lessons of integrity, storytelling, and narrative will be with me wherever I go,” said Alvey. “I hope the administration fixes their mistake and stays true to the liberal arts agenda.”
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