Starting up a new school year in ICU's English for LIBERAL ARTS program

Time for a new year to begin!

This will be my sixth year here at ICU and I am very excited about meeting the new first year students next week.

I am immensely fortunate to be working here in a university that attracts some of the most motivated and talented young people in Japan. I feel excited about meeting my students and working with them and can look forward to not only a meaningful teaching experience but to learning a lot from the research and insights that my students bring to our classes.

And I think it is OK to leak this mostly? official decision that we are considering a change of the name of our program to English for Liberal Arts, or ELA from the current ELP, English Language Program. This is a very natural change for us, really, since this name more closely reflects our focus. Our primary goal is not just to help our students be good at "English" but more specifically help them develop English skills that can form the foundation of liberal arts studies in English.

The most recent Faculty Development Newsletter at ICU included a reevaluation by Dr. Steele of our mission as a liberal arts university. In it, he lists a 6-Point Definition of Liberal Learning that I want to introduce here in a slightly shortened form:

Liberal Learning
-------------------

1. Develops critical thinking necessary to make informed decisions in an age cluttered with information.
   
2. Calls for moral and social responsibility in an age of contending world views and confusing ethical choices.
3. Liberates students, making them free, able to take charge of their own thoughts and examine often contradictory ideologies and traditions that exist today.
4. Encourages students to engage in active, rigorous inquiry. Have a critical curiosity.
5. Requires students to be open minded and embrace a diversity of ideas and experiences.
6. Inspires students to want to serve in society, and challenges students to develop skills and knowledge that will help them be more effective in identifying and solving problems in society.

An ambitious list of goals, but my students each year impress me with how well they develop many of these. Looking forward to meeting you all next week!