Visiting Professors for Faculty Development in Native American and Hispanic Cultural Studies

FAIN: AC-50072-09

Heritage University (Toppenish, WA 98948-9562)
Michel Keenan (Project Director: January 2009 to August 2009)
Sneh B. Veena (Project Director: August 2009 to November 2011)
James Borst (Project Director: November 2011 to June 2012)

A year-long faculty development program bringing ten core humanities faculty members together with visiting scholars to enhance their course offerings in Native American and Hispanic studies.

This proposal will address the faculty development needs of ten faculty members at Heritage University, Toppenish, Washington who teach one or more courses in the American Indian Studies major and/or Hispanic Literature. Faculty have traditionally been educated as specialists in specific humanities areas, such as history, philosophy, language, music, literature, etc., but the need in a small liberal arts university is for faculty to be able to integrate the interdisciplinary humanities content involved in their courses. At Heritage University the high percentage of multicultural students, especially Hispanics and Native Americans, impels the faculty to meet the diverse cultural needs of the students by offering courses which address these cultures.