In June 1991 after two years of consultation with representatives from every
sector of the university, the University Task Force on the Core Curriculum
concluded a major restructuring of the core program. The following courses are
now required:
Arts (1)
Cultural Diversity (1)
History (2)
Literature (1)
Mathematics (1)
Natural Science (2)
Philosophy (2)
Social Science (2)
Theology (2)
Writing (1)
The Task Force recommended that core courses should share the following
characteristics: 1) discussion, where pertinent, of perennial questions, 2)
emphasis on the history of the discipline, 3) introduction to the methodology
of the discipline, 4) inclusion of a strong writing component, 5) incorporation
of culturally diverse perspectives, 6) concern for the moral significance and
practical direction of students' lives.
The Task Force also recommended the creation of The University Core Development Committee (UCDC) which was charged with the following tasks: 1) to review and evaluate all core programs and courses (along with the syllabi of all instructors), 2) to encourage the creation of new courses and new inter-departmental programs, 3) to seek outside revenues for the development of new initiatives. Committee members are: the Dean of Arts and Sciences (Chair), the Director, seven elected faculty representatives: Arts and Sciences (4), Education (1), Nursing (1), Management (1).
Members of the University Core Development Committee for 2008-2009 are:
David Quigley,
Dean of Arts and Sciences (Chair)
Richard Cobb-Stevens, Philosophy (Director)
Patrick Byrne, Philosophy
Michael Clarke, Chemistry
Mary Cronin, Management
Clare Dunsford, Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences
Audrey Friedman, Education
Catherine Read, Nursing
Stephen Schloesser, History
Margaret Thomas, Slavic/Eastern Languages
James Weiss, Theology
Former committee members are: J. Robert Barth, S.J. (Dean of Arts and
Sciences), Joseph Quinn (Dean of Arts and Sciences), Marilyn
Cochran-Smith (Education), John Dacey (Education), Timothy Duket (A&S Honors Program), Nancy
Fairchild (Nursing), John Gallaugher (Management), George Goldsmith (Physics),
Paul Gray (Sociology), John Heineman (History), Alan Kafka (Geology & Geophysics), Margaret Kearney (Nursing), Robert Kern
(English), John Mahoney (English), Marie McHugh
(Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences), Francis M. McLaughlin (Economics),
Ourida Mostefai (Romance Languages), Clare O'Connor (Biology), Rev. Francis Murphy (History), Jean O'Neil
(Nursing), Alec Peck (Education), Pheme Perkins (Theology), Dennis Sardella (Chemistry), Catherine Schneider (Economics), Paul Spagnoli (History), Sandra Waddock (Management)
(revised 2009/08/21)