middbriefs

Author: Bryant Cobb

New languages offered through student classes

Midd on the Globe, a student-led initiative to teach languages not offered by the College, announced it will offer classes in Korean, Swahili and Serbo-Croatian this semester. The languages offered were determined by expressed student interest at the Student Activities Fair last month.

One of Middlebury's newest student organizations, Midd on the Globe seeks to further expand Middlebury's renowned foreign language programs. It intends to offer one-hour classes that would meet once a week and every class will be taught by Middlebury students. The group hopes to have a lasting and permanent effect on the language program at Middlebury.

"In the short term, we hope to gain basic conversational skills," said co-president Janet Kang '10. Kang also added, "We hope to be able to draw the College's attention to interest in other languages."


Finanical aid practices probed by committee

The new Financial Aid Advisory Committee, composed of both students and faculty, will hold its first meeting during the first week of November. The committee aims to propose ways that the College could increase financial aid for those with demonstrated need.

According to Director of Student Financial Services Kim Downs, who will be chairing the committee, "The committee is going to focus on continuing to make strides to decrease the self-help component in our aid packages."

Financial aid packages have two components - grants and self-help. Grants consist of money that need not be paid back, while self-help includes loans and work-study. In attempts to attract the most qualified students, the committee will study how the College's peer institutions have eased the financial burden for many needy students. Many of Middlebury's peers have already eradicated aid packages that have self-help components.

Ultimately, the College hopes that the committee will enable Middlebury to provide greater access and opportunity to students who need financial aid.


Commision to examine faculty involvement

President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz commissioned a committee on Sept. 24 to look into ways to get the faculty more involved in the intellectual, academic and cultural life of the College community. The committee will explore ways to encourage faculty and staff to attend more lectures, discussions and events on campus.

"We are trying to find ways that staff can get involved on campus," said Senior Special Gifts Officer Lynn Dunton, who will lead the committee. "We are thinking about possibly structuring time in the day for staff to go to events on campus."

The committee has already distributed surveys to faculty members that they hope will shed more light on the role that the faculty is playing in College life. It hopes to report to the president in December.