"History has become more and more a race between education and catastrophe."
-- H.G. Wells, The Outline of History (1920), Chap. 41

 Prof. Frank S. Minasian

From The Chair’s Corner

September 2007

The department has expanded its services refreshing our website under the direction of Prof. Joseph Baratta, enlarging our career services internship program, under the direction of Prof. David Twiss and offering more online courses in history and political science.

             The department has expanded its minor in Middle East History & Politics under the direction of Prof. Rami Khalaf and Prof. Najib Saliba, and now offers, jointly with the department of Languages & Literature, courses in Arabic to compliment the minor.  New courses are continuing to be added to our wide inventory of courses in History and Political Science.

             The administration has allowed us to advertise for two new tenure track positions to be filled for the academic year 2008/2009 in Modern European and U.S. History.

            Phi Alpha Theta continues to thrive under the able directions of Prof. Joseph Baratta who also serves as mentor to the Phi Alpha Theta Chapters throughout New England.  The chapter continues to encourage its members to participate in the annual regional conference, submitting our best history papers both undergraduate and graduate.

             The department is looking at ways to encourage its majors to avail themselves of the excellent academic advising available in the History/Political Science Department.

             Our department members are actively involved in continuing scholarship including:  research, writing, attending scholarly conferences, presenting papers, and chairing discussion groups.  Last summer Dr. Shea presented a paper on the Failure of Intelligence in the 9/11 Attack at Cambridge University.  Dr. Najib Saliba was interviewed by Noursat, a Beirut TV station.  The interview dealt with emigration from Lebanon.   We are pleased that Prof. Aldo Guevara has been named as coordinator of the Center for the Study of Human Rights and the History Department is happy to support his leadership in this center. 

            Faculty members in the History Department continue to serve in positions of leadership in professional organizations.  Prof. Bruce Cohen is treasurer and Prof. Peter Holloran is Secretary and news letter editor of the New England Historical Association.  Prof. Cohen is also on the executive board of the Northeast Popular Culture/American Culture Association Board of Directors. 

             Worcester State College continues to participate in the renewal of the million dollar grant for teacher certification.  The Department’s representative in the grant is Prof. Charlotte Haller.

 This is a short list of some of the leadership and professional activities of the distinguished members of the History and Political Science Department and is by no means complete.