The administration has introduced more diversity-related courses to the curriculum in large response to racial incidents last year, according to Provost Marty Krauss.Krauss said that the Dusty Baker incident and the controversial visit by Daniel Pipes hurt the community and piqued interest in spreading tolerance and acceptance.

"On the academic side, I wanted to make proactive and constructive activities to bring us to the place we want to be in," Krauss said.

The plan-outlined by the administration last January and developed by the Provost's Steering Committee on Campus Diversity Issues-also involves adding more diversity-related materials into existing courses in the future.

Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe, who is chair of the curriculum subcommittee under Krauss' initiative, said he could not reveal as of now what existing courses will add new material in the future. But he said this effort is underway.

Jaffe said a list of courses dealing more heavily with issues of diversity are posted on the provost and dean's office Web site. He said these courses are organized into three different categories -"Gender and Sexuality," "Religion, Race," and "Culture and Global Perspectives."

According to Jaffe, at least nine new courses have never been offered before. He also said many courses offered in years prior would not have been included this year, if not for the provost's committee.

A few of the listed courses include "Queer Readings: Before Stonewall," "Asian American literature" and "Introduction to African History."

Jaffe said he is working toward creating additional new courses for the spring semester, including something about Latino experiences to be offered in Sociology, Islamic Arts and Race in American Cinema. He also said he wants to include other materials relating to conflict resolution and social justice.

"The goal is to have a Web site up by the fall and to have some sort of seminar or colloquium to teach people how to use it," Jaffe said.

Community members expressed different feelings about the initiative to add more diversity into the curriculum.

Shoshana Speiser '06 said she is happy the curriculum is being updated to include more diversity related material. But she said human interaction is the best teacher of diversity.

"Brandeis is a small school with limited course offerings, " Speiser said. "So any additional options I feel are welcome. However, what is learned in class does not substitute for practical experience and personal interaction."

Ruodan Lan '07 agreed, saying that simply being a student at Brandeis-a place with people from numerous backgrounds-makes students more aware of diversity.

"I think it's necessary to have new courses dealing with diversity because there are so many nations and races in the world," Lan said.

But some students felt that the administration plan was not the right way to deal with diversity issues on campus.

"It's a good idea but the problem is that the people who will take [courses with diversity] will be those who are already concerned with diversity," Yuval Simchi-Levi '05 said. "The University won't necessarily attract students who should learn more about diversity."

Ben Wolinsky '06 agreed with Simchi-Levi, adding that it is not the role of the administration to control how the faculty teaches their courses.

"I have a major issue with the administration interfering with the instruction of professors who are experts in the material being taught," Wolinsky said.

Prof. Susan Lanser (ENG), who is on the committee, said Brandeis was founded upon acceptance and that it would be hypocritical to turn away from such values.

"We cannot pursue these goals without a broadly inclusive education in and out of the classroom and without a climate that fully supports the intellectual development and the personal well-being of every student," Lanser said.

Professor Harry Mairson (COSI) agreed with Lanser, saying that discussing diversity issues is always necessary. But he was skeptical about using the classroom as a forum for this.

"Studying the big world out there is absolutely a good thing," Mairson wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. "Only, what *isn't* a 'diversity course'---maybe computer science? And is diversity to be studied, or had?"

Krauss expressed anticipation for new and and updated courses and said she hopes that this initiative would help foster an exciting academic environment.

"I'm looking forward to an engaged and exciting academic year and continuing to provide our students with the richest and most challenging curriculum that we can mount," Krauss said.