Author: The Occidental Weekly Editorial Board
In the context of a globally-minded education, one could easily argue that Los Angeles represents cultural and historical richness, with innumerable resources mere miles from any single point. L.A. is the third largest economic center in the world, is home to people from over 140 countries and its local headlines constantly draw national attention. As a college that embraces its identity as an institution of L.A., Occidental has the opportunity to promote the study of the city as a fundamental component of its curriculum.
Among the CORE requirements for any undergraduate, there are requirements for math, lab science, pre-1800 courses and specific area studies, the goal being a well-rounded “total learning experience.” But while there is no specific mention of L.A. in the mission statement, the buzz word “Los Angeles” appears in abundance around campus. This suggests that Occidental’s identity is in fact innately tied to L.A., something the college does not offer as an option to fulfill CORE requirements.
At present, Occidental does provide courses like DWA’s “Global Los Angeles,” CTSJ’s “Queer Los Angeles” and the upcoming CSP “Working Towards a Healthy City” that examine the surrounding city in an academic light. However, the college could take an additional step towards emphasizing the city’s importance by encouraging enrollment in this area of study.
There are numerous ways in which the Occidental curriculum could be more inclusive of the study of L.A. Establishing an area studies option like “Europe” or “Intercultural” would allow students to incorporate a study of L.A. into their plan for graduation. Since many of these already existing courses are offered within majors, the college could implement this change with relative ease and with little overhaul to its catalog.
Another possibility is the creation of a class similar to CSP 99, where students would visit museums and attend cultural events in L.A. to receive a “Los Angeles” course credit. A course such as this would provide opportunities for students to engage the city critically and analytically rather than as a mere tourist attraction.
The Occidental website states, “Faculty and students frequently use the city as a resource for field study and research.” The college should formalize what those students and faculty have already understood, and thus codify its values as a liberal arts college located in a major metropolitan area. Students should be given incentive to integrate the city into their overall education.
This editorial represents the collective opinion of the Occidental Weekly Editorial Board. Each week, the Editorial Board will publish its viewpoint on a matter relevant to the Occidental community.
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