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Department changes name to
Humanities, Social Sciences,
and the Arts
WHAT’S IN A NAME? For HMC’s second largest aca-
demic department, a new name now further emphasizes that
which has been important to the college since its inception:
educating intelligent, creative professionals who understand
the impact of their professional work on society. Now named
Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts, the department
will not be changing its focus, but rather, continuing its long
tradition.
“The name change recognizes that the arts have long been
important within the department,” said Darryl Wright, de-
partment chair and professor of philosophy, “and it reflects
the fact that we have enhanced our commitment to the arts
in recent years.”
Within the department’s curriculum, “the arts” include
the visual arts, music and literature. In this sense, the arts
have always been emphasized—the college’s first hires for the
department were in English. But since that time, the faculty’s
expertise has expanded, with hires in media studies and music.
Besides Tan, the department’s full-time faculty in the arts
The department’s newest hire, Chang Tan, is assistant pro-
include William Alves (music), Isabel Balseiro (comparative
fessor of Chinese language and culture, and her courses on
literature), Rachel Mayeri (media studies), Charles Kamm
Visualizing China, and Contemporary Art and Society
(music—jointly appointed with Scripps) and Jeff Groves (lit-
explore Chinese and western art history and the impact of
erature). For many years, Tad Beckman (emeritus professor of
art on society. The visual arts made their debut as a feature of
philosophy) taught photography in addition to his primary
the HMC curriculum in the 1970s, when J’nan Morse Sellery
specialization, philosophy.
(emerita professor of literature) inaugurated the Media Studio
The idea of changing the department’s name to best reflect
course and the annual media show.
its longstanding focus has been floating around for awhile,
said Wright. Lisa Sullivan, professor of economics, was one of
the strongest advocates and brought the issue forward during
her recent term as department chair (2006–09).
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Another former chair (1985–93, 1998–2001), Beckman,
e

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also welcomes the name change. “The department’s role at
in
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e
HMC has always addressed the human world as well as those
s
t
s

a
t
distinctly human phenomena we call social and political

H
M
C
institutions. These are essential components in the education

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d
of scientists and engineers, enhancing the understanding of

t
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r
the contexts in which these professions are practiced.”
o
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g
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Alves, professor of music, remarked that the college is fortu-

t
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nate that the admission department selects such well-rounded

o
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h
students, who often have impressive talents in the arts as well
e
r

C as in math and science. Nearly half of the students partici-
l
a
r
e
m
pating in The Claremont Colleges Joint Music orchestra and
o
n
choirs are from HMC even though it is the smallest of the
c

t
participating colleges.
l
o
l
g
e
s
e
.
14 Harvey Mudd College FALL/WINTER 2009
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