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#1 Draft document from Mission Subcommittee, Sept.

14, 2009

In the English department, we specialize in the study of literature, linguistics, rhetoric, writing and
teaching. It is through language and story that humans interpret the past, understand the present and
prepare for the future. For this reason, the work we do is dynamic and interdisciplinary. We foster an
appreciation for the beauty and power of the English language, promote open enquiry, and arouse
intellectual curiosity. Our studies of literature, linguistics, rhetoric, and education stress the practical
application of knowledge, empowering our students long past graduation and enriching the pleasure they
find in reading, writing, and teaching. What makes the English department unique is that we examine
what readers do when they read and what writers do when they write. In the tradition of liberal arts
education, we inculcate analytic skills and encourage scholarship from our faculty and students. We
believe that the close study of language, writing and literature should be a transformative experience
culminating in literate, articulate, imaginative, and open-minded readers who can take on roles as
responsible citizens in diverse and dynamic communities.

#2 Subcommittee’s draft with slight revisions based on dept. discussion, Oct. 7, 2009

The English Department specializes in the study of literature, linguistics, rhetoric, writing and teaching.
Through language and story humans interpret the past, understand the present and prepare for the future.
For this reason, the work we do is dynamic and interdisciplinary. We foster an appreciation for the
beauty and power of the English language, promote open enquiry, excite the imagination, and arouse
intellectual curiosity. Our studies of literature, linguistics, rhetoric, and education stress the practical
application of knowledge, empowering our students long past graduation and enriching the pleasure they
find in reading, writing, and teaching. Fundamentally, the English Department examines what readers
do when they read and what writers do when they write. In the tradition of liberal arts education, we
promote analytic skills and encourage scholarship from our faculty and students. We believe that the
close study of language, writing and literature should be a transformative experience culminating in
literate, articulate, imaginative, and open-minded readers who can take on roles as responsible citizens
in diverse and dynamic communities.

#3 Susan’s revised version of the above, Nov. 2, 2009

The English department specializes in the study of literature, linguistics, rhetoric, writing, and teaching.
Our dynamic and interdisciplinary work fosters an appreciation for the beauty and power of the English
language, promotes open inquiry, excites the imagination, and arouses intellectual curiosity. In the
tradition of liberal arts education, we promote analytic skills and encourage scholarship from our faculty
and students alike. Emphasizing the practical application of knowledge, we empower our students long
past graduation and enrich the pleasure they find in reading, writing, and teaching.

The English department examines what readers do when they read and what writers do when they write.
Through language and story, humans interpret the past, understand the present and prepare for the
future. We believe that the close study of language, writing, and literature should be a transformative
experience culminating in literate, articulate, imaginative, and open-minded readers who can take on
roles as responsible citizens in diverse and dynamic communities.

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