“I don’t know who this is serving”: Gender and Women Studies, Global Studies, and the History Department

Roman Kavanagh

Opinions Editor

“I don’t know who this is serving.” These were the words of Dr. Leslie Schuster, Director of the Women and Gender Studies program, in response to the announcement of the Productivity and Efficiency program cuts. As news spreads of the sudden suspension of enrollment in 20 different majors here at RIC, it has been difficult to not feel betrayed. Especially since this news is coming at a time so close to finals and the end of the semester, students across campus have expressed a profound distaste and unrest following this sudden news. Overwhelmingly, we have seen a similar kind of response from faculty. I met with Dr. Leslie Schuster, Director of Gender and Women’s Studies, Dr. Moonsil Kim, Director of Global Studies and Dr. Elisa Miller, Chair of the Department of History: all professors from departments and programs affected by the P&E cuts. They outlined the profound cultural and economic values of their programs, as well as some of the fundamental issues behind the thinking of this report.

This article is one in a series in which I interviewed RIC professors from departments and programs that have been affected by the P&E cuts. At this time, President Jack Warner has failed to respond to my requests for an interview.

The programs represented here by Dr. Schuster and Dr. Kim both deal with issues of diversity and inclusion. Gender and Women’s Studies as well as Global Studies are both programs representative of the diverse population here at RIC. The loss of these programs would be detrimental to our campus community and take away opportunities and spaces from future RIC students within minority groups.

Photo by Sam Gervais

One of the biggest problems that has become clear after talking with faculty is the ways in which the P&E report has misrepresented the data of the programs it reviewed. Dr. Moonsil Kim worked to reinstate the Global Studies program, which had dissipated after its founder, Dr. David Thomas’, unfortunate passing in 2016. “It was around 2020, right before the pandemic,” Dr. Kim said. “I am teaching history, Asian, Chinese history and some East Asian history.” She quickly realized that “Most of the students in my class, they have never learned about Chinese and Asian history. They had never experienced that world.”

Since the program was just getting its footing after years of dormancy, it took some time to garner students towards the major. “Gradually, we got some students. And they have some hope and dream that they can explore the world, which they could not imagine before they started this program.” This program is in the early stages of its rebirth. Yet, the P&E report did not seem to understand this reality. “The major reason [they gave] why they want to eliminate this program is we do not have any [graduating]  students so far,” said Dr. Kim. “That starts from 2021. How many years do we need to have the graduate student who just graduated from this program? At least four years.” Yet, this misrepresentation seemed to be overlooked, despite the fact that Dr. Kim said that she mentioned this disparity “several times when [she] met the Provost.”

A similar story can be told in how the P&E report seems to represent its core definitions of “productivity and efficiency.” The people behind this report have defined the goal of RIC to feed into the Rhode Island job market. As a result, a number of the new degrees being instituted have been directly correlated to trades. There are several flaws in this programming. Dr. Leslie Schuster outlined this issue in relation to her own program. “We’re supposed to be serving the state,” she said, and yet “we’re creating a very narrow funnel for them.” In terms of Gender and Women Studies, “All of our majors have fabulous jobs, in a profession where they’re drawing on Gender and Women Studies’ scholarship.” The degree is versatile for a numerous array of professional careers. “We have students working in domestic violence centers,” says Dr. Schuster. “One as a court advocate, one at Sojourner house, in nonprofits...” Furthermore, Gender and Women Studies majors go on to get graduate degrees in Women’s Studies, Social Work, Psychology, and Education.

The issue that many come across in thinking about careers which stem from these humanities programs is that the connections between the degree and the career is not always “obvious.” Dr. Elisa Miller, Chair of the History Department, highlighted how an individual “Might be a banker that works with international companies and a Global Studies degree serves them. For Gender Studies, they may work for a social service organization that deals with homeless people or healthcare access.” In these instances, their degrees are not ornamental. “Everyday they’re using the kind of skills that they learned in their major,” says Dr. Miller, “but it doesn't have the title, so I think for the administration, for students, and often for legislators, it's not an obvious connection.”

What’s at stake here goes beyond just degrees, but the core principles of inclusion RIC strives to achieve. The programs we currently have are indispensable, not just for RIC, but for the state of Rhode Island. “We are the oldest Women’s Studies program in the northeast,” said Dr. Schuster. “We were established sometime in the 1970s.” Since then, the program has adapted to fit student needs and shape the culture of our campus community. “Two or three years ago we ran an experimental ‘Intro to Queer Studies,’” says Dr. Schuster. Students were instantly enamored, and “demanded, asked, insisted” that Queer Studies become a more permanent part of the program. “We were able to develop a minor within one semester,” Dr. Schuster says, a testament to the student-centered nature of the program. Furthermore, she continues, “The reason that the students wanted the Queer Studies Minor” was not just out of cultural affinity, but rather “because many of them were going into professions where they knew that they would need that kind of information.” 

Similarly, Dr. Kim has argued how Global Studies serves to enrich the Rhode Island population. “Global Studies and Gender Studies are the basic method or program for our students to open their eyes and understand other people,” she said. These programs help to build empathy and understanding, turning Rhode Islanders into better global citizens. “One example is, my English is not Rhode Island, New England kind of English. ” Dr. Kim said, “It’s kind of ‘Konglish,’ I was from Korea. So I have kind of really big accent in my English. And when I first came here, a lot of students, their kind of facial expression when they hear my English pronunciation, it was weird. They were not ready to accept those foreigner.” As an educator, Dr. Kim saw this problem as something that could be solved by positive education. “I realized this is the matter of education. They have not had any chance to deal with those outsiders, to experience those people.” That was the beginning of her passion for Global Studies. “We should change this attitude,” she thought. “That’s the goal of education through Global Studies.”

RIC is an indispensable tool to Rhode Island in the efforts to make these changes. In terms of Global Studies, “Other institutions have similar programs,” says Dr. Kim. Unfortunately, however, “Most of those international studies are focused on some political issue.” But, as she says, “not all students are interested in political science!” Therefore, here at RIC, “our program is not only political issues but cultural experience and language.” The approach here at RIC is unique and human-focused. Without it, our state will suffer. 

Ultimately, it reflects poorly on the institution. “In terms of cutting the Gender Studies major,” says Dr. Miller, “I feel like RIC and Rhode Island have more queer-identifying students or queer and gender curious students than ever before. Some of those students may want to be Gender Studies majors, we know that from the incoming students, but even if they don't, cutting that major sends a message to them about priorities and what kind of students are welcome at RIC.”

“It’s not a good look,” Dr. Schuster says. “Basically what we’re saying to a whole host of students is ‘go someplace else.’” The harsh reality is, however, that many of our students don’t have the privilege to ‘go someplace else.’ “If you look at the RIC population,” says Dr. Miller, “We’re highly first generation to go to college, Pell Grant recipients, people of color.” What quickly happens when looking at these statistics, is that this becomes an issue of inequity. “I’m very concerned that these changes are taking us back to the situation of the haves and the have-not’s,” said Dr. Miller. “The idea is, if you’re a Brown student, or you’re a PC student, you can have literature, Global Studies, Gender Studies, but the poor people need to learn how to be good workers and think just about vocation.”

In the end, the most glaring issue staring us in the face is that the P&E list cuts just don’t make sense in many instances. “These programs that were suspended,” said Dr. Schuster, “like Gender and Women’s Studies, Global Studies, Art History; there’s no dedicated faculty so the cost is minimal. So why are we restricting students’ options?” Dr. Miller’s comments exacerbate the point. “Even if they’re going to save minimal money,” she says, “That’s going to be offset if either incoming students don’t come or current students decide to transfer. There’s between 10-12 incoming students who want to be Global Studies majors. If even one or two of them decides not to come…then this decision has actually lost RIC money and students at a time when we’re really focused on recruitment and retention.”

Hearing Dr. Schuster and Dr. Kim’s outspoken affection for their programs and Dr. Miller’s historical perspective helped me to understand just what is at stake with these cuts. This article is meant to be not a condemnation, but an open dialogue with those behind the P&E lists. In recording the perspectives of these members of faculty, I hope to facilitate the conversation between RIC students and faculty and our administration.