Statement of Goals for the Department of Classics & Letters

To build on the strength and reputation for excellence that the department has enjoyed since the earliest history of the University of Oklahoma, our goals are:

• To advance scholarship in the humanities through research, presentations, publication, and creative activity.
• To support and promote the university's educational mission by creating and offering courses not only in the College of Arts & Sciences' general education program, but also in specialized areas of study in support of the department's major and minor programs.
• To promote wider interest in the humanities through public lectures, presentations, and other outreach events.

Short-term Priorities

• Develop introductory courses in both Classical culture and Letters.
• Maintain or increase enrollment in all levels of Greek and Latin instruction.
• Establish and implement an objective means of assessing the annual progress of the department and its students.
• Collaborate with the College of Education to create clear paths to teacher certification and continuing education, particularly in Latin.
• Develop appropriate courses for online instruction.

Long-term Priorities

• Recruit students into all of our degree programs.
• Identify and cultivate external resources for enhancing faculty development.
• Strengthen library holdings in both print and digital humanities resources.
• Buttress the department's reputation at the regional and national levels by increasing faculty participation in professional organizations.
• Uphold and enhance the department's reputation for excellence in undergraduate advising.
• Increase scholarship funds for Classics and Letters students.
• Bolster relationships with secondary school teachers (particularly in Latin) and other communities outside the university.
• Seek the best replacements possible for any positions that might become vacant.
• Cultivate a network of alumni to serve as role models and mentors for our current students and recent graduates.
• Support the initiative of the College of Arts and Sciences to promote the hiring of liberal arts majors.
• Continue to build a sense of community for our students, faculty, and staff.