Approximately 60 undergraduate students have pre-registered for the student-initiated pilot program January@Brown, and registration for the remaining 40 spaces is still open on the program's Web site.
The 12-day program, which will take place from Jan. 8 to Jan. 19, 2007, offers six no-credit seminar courses of 20 or fewer students.
Sara Damiano '08, a member of the January@Brown committee, said although administrators have been very supportive of the program, registration has not filled as quickly as committee members expected. "However, we will continue to publicize the program because we are optimistic that more students will sign up," she said.
Damiano said the Office of the President has provided funding for both instruction and financial aid and has pledged to support the program. Additionally, officials from the Division of Campus Life and Student Services and the Office of the Dean of the College have worked with the January@Brown committee, she said.
Although no permanent faculty members will be teaching courses, Damiano said this has not limited course offerings for the program. "We received many course proposals for January@Brown courses and extensively screened all potential courses before making final decisions," she said. "We are confident in our instructors and the six courses that will be offered."
The courses will involve activities that would not necessarily be part of similar courses offered during the normal academic year. For example, Ricky Dildine, production coordinator for the Literary Arts Program, will teach a theater course titled "Say Something: The Science of the Collaborative Process" that will include visits to local theaters and discussions with members of the Providence theater community. Jacqueline Wernimont, a graduate student in the Department of English, will teach a course titled "Storytelling and Urban Engagement: Providence Narratives" that will include visits to Providence sites that have been described in works of fiction.
"The six courses are all taught by instructors who are enthusiastic about the subjects of their courses and who may not otherwise have the opportunity to share their passion with students," Damiano said. Associate Dean of the College Steven Cornish, for example, will be teaching a course on British popular culture, and two graduate students in the religious studies department will be teaching a course in food, culture and history.
Tristan Freeman '07, another member of the committee, said he is excited to see the program's launch. "Students, administrators, professors and other instructors all share this enthusiasm," he said.
The committee is now working to plan the program's extracurricular components, which will include a lecture series, trips and social events. "Our lecture series will be loosely based around the theme of Brown and Brown-affiliated individuals making a difference in Rhode Island," Damiano said.
Although Damiano and Freeman will not be attending the program themselves, they are both excited to see how their efforts play out. "Students have regularly e-mailed me and the January@Brown committee to tell us how excited they are," Freeman said. "It's everyone's hope to see this January@Brown grow beyond a pilot program into something that will continue to occur at Brown long after we've graduated."
