Western College Program
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The Western College Program was created in 1974 when the Western College for Women merged with Miami University. The Western College Program consists of an interdisciplinary living/learning community with small class sizes and student-designed focuses. Majors include Interdisciplinary Studies, Environmental Science, and Environmental Studies. Academics are divided into three core areas: Creativity and Culture, Social Systems, and Natural Systems. Westward travelers from Mount Holyoke College were instrumental in the founding of the Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio
In March 2006, Miami University Provost Jeffrey Herbst, a former professor on the faculty of the Political Science department at Princeton University, recommended to Miami University President Dr. James C. Garland to phase out the current Western College Program in lieu of expanding Miami's Honors Program. The proposal calls for the creation of the Western Honors College. There are some questions about the review process involved with these recommendations and current students have organized relevant information at the Western Wiki.
On June 23, 2006, The Board of Trustees of Miami University voted to eliminate the School of Interdisciplinary Studies in lieu of a "Western Honors College" in an attempt to expand the honors program at Miami.
On October 24, 2006, deliberations on the persistence of the program (even without the school classification) in Miami's University Senate began. It is likely that the many aspects of the program will continue.
In January 2007 it was decided that the Western College Program will become a program in the College of Arts and Sciences. Rather than having a department of permanent faculty it will have one central faculty member with the students taking classes from faculty that are in several different departments. It may be better for students by providing diverse courses with faculty from different backgrounds but is certainly detrimental to a student-faculty bond which was a strongly beneficial attribute of Western's previous incarncation.
[edit] The campus
Located directly east of the main campus of Miami University, Western College is characterized by winding pathways through forest and stone bridges over creeks. Peabody Hall, currently a coed dormitory, is said to be haunted by its namesake Helen Peabody. Other buildings on Western Campus include: Mckee Hall, Mary Lyon Hall, Kumler Chapel, Western Lodge, Ernst Theater, Western Tower, Ice House, Summer House, Sawyer (Defunct Gymnasium, Heating plant, Pool and dining hall, Boyd Hall, Hoyt Hall/Library, the Art Museum, and non WCP buildings, Clawson (International) Hall, Alexander Dining Hall, Presser Hall, Langstroth Cottage and Havighurst Hall.
