DATE: June 19, 2008
TO: Charles Wilson, Associate Dean for the Humanities
FROM: Karl Fink, Chair, German Department
CC: Karen Achberger, Nichole Grewling, LaVern Rippley
RE: Annual German Department Report
The data below reflects the scope of departmental activites organized with the student work and the department operating budget. Most of the data is taken from standard resources generated by the college and available in other formats and will offer no surprises. There are a few items that reflect new initiatives that should be highlighted:
- There were 21 students in German 233, the January Interim 2008, following a lapse of a German language Interim in 2007. This is the first lapse in a German language interim since they began in 1987. The lapse is significant because German 233 fulfills FOL and means that some students had to postpone instruction after German 231 (required) for a full year.
- After a lapse of any exchange students for the academic year 2006-07, there were five from Paderborn and Konstanz for 2007-08, including a Gemran House resident from the University of Konstanz.
- A new initiative to offer at least one larger metropolitan option for German study abroad was introduced as a pilot program at the Humboldt University, Berlin. Two students enrolled for the Spring Term, 2007-08, and two more are enrolled for the Fall Term, 2008-09. This summer we are completing negotiations for an agreement with plans for an exchange student from HU in the Fall Term, 2009-2010.
- A second initiative in study abroad is to phase out low enrollment study abroad options in Germany including the Universities of Flensburg and Paderborn with plans to shift the exchange at these universities to internship programs facilitated in cooperation with the Center for Experiential Learning and the Department of Education. This phase out is part of the expectation to trim programs in the International Studies Office.
- The initiative in internships abroad yielded three students with positions in the Paderborn area organized through the International Studies Office at the University of Paderborn and the Center for Experiential Learning (CEL) at St. Olaf. This program is also in an exchange format with two students from the University of Paderborn in English Education programs placed in the Faribault public school system next fall, 2008.
- A third initiative was to frame the traditional list of "Departmental Duties" in student work assignments with focus on support of activities that promote the curricular goals of the department, while still making student workers available for special faculty projects. From this perspective we can highlight the scan project to digitize an archive of historical slides and organize them into a meta-language by library standards for on-line use for teaching and research. The scan phase is finished and the development of an on-line meta-languge is underway.
- A second student work project for the department was designed to re-do the German Department web site by coordinating the language and images used by various departmental brochures, bulletin boards, and catalog statements with digital information on line. The entire web site had to be rewritten to remove seriously dated program information, redundancies, and inaccurate course catalog guidelines. New images, links, and texts for the web site have been coordinated with new brochures for study and internships abroad and for departmental programs on campus. To preseve the integrity of the web site I strongly recommend that changes to the web site follow and be consistent with edited hard copies of the same material reviewed in department meetings.
- A new German Placement Exam organized to meet new proficieny standards was prepared for students of German for the class of 2011 enrolling in the Fall Term, 2007-08. This initiative was designed to add a full range of discrete vocabulary and grammar items (125) to requirements for narrative written essays that follow and represent the language expectations for students along a spectrum from German 111-252. This exam has proven to differentiate the grammatical and narrative skills expected of student at each language level.
- We restructured the traditional senior banquet to a reception for recognition of language accomplishments at all levels of instructon with awards supported by proficiency standards of the Goethe Institute in Chicago, who supplied the award certificates and accompanying book gifts. The German Information Center in Washington also supported the new structure with gifts supporting the study of German culture.
1) Staff Enrollments (by course in English and German)
| Achberger | Fink (6) | Grewling (6) | Hoschour (1) | Rippley (6) | TOTAL | |||||
| On leave | Eng | Ger | Eng | Ger | Eng | Ger | Eng | Ger | Eng | Ger |
| --- | 116 | --- | 70 | --- | 14 | 54 | 47 | 54 | 247 | |
2) Interim Abroad (by course, instructor, enrollment, site and language)
| German 233 (Fink) | |||
| 21 students, in German | |||
| Weimar-Nurnberg Heidelberg-Rimbach |
3) Study Abroad Enrollments (by semester units, St. Olaf Students, and German students
| Berlin | Flensburg | Konstanz | Paderborn | Total | |||||
| St. Olaf | HU | St. Olaf | UF | St. Olaf | UK | St. Olaf | UP | St. Olaf | Germany |
| 2 | - | - | - | 4 | 3 | - | 2 | 6 | 5 |
4) Internships Domestic and Abroad (by location, course supervisor, position, and languges)
| Paderborn-software co. | Paderborn-political office | Paderborn-museum educ. | |
| Germam 294 (Foml) | German 394 (Fink) | German 394 (Fink) | |
| 1 student | 1 student | 1 student |
5) German Majors (by graduating class)
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
4 |
13 |
5 |
2 |
6) Student Work (by student, tasks and hours)
| Rebecca Barclay Bulletin board; scan project 54.75 hrs. |
Matt Berry Lang help sessions, Ger. 111 & 232 143.5 hrs. |
Jake Boyce Grader 0 Ripley 20.25 hrs. Interim |
Mara Calvert Grader - Rippley 14.25 hrs Interim |
Carmen Cummings Grader - Rippley 17.25 hrs. Interim |
Bogdan Conrad Audio-scan Germany, 1989 45 hrs. |
| Rachel Foster Advent music 10 hrs. |
Colin Halverson Dept. brochure Scan project 55.5 hrs. |
Devin Horne Editor, abroad guides; Konstanz 12 hrs. |
Allie Jones Lang help session Ger. 112 93.5 hrs |
Alicia Reuter Bulletin boards 61.5 hrs. |
Gabe Rholl Ger. Web site 37 hrs. |
| Laura Schaefer Lang help session Ger. 112, 231, 232 145 hrs |
Chrissy Ware Lang help session Ger. 231, Fall 69.75 hrs |
Chrissy Ware Grader - Rippley 17.5 hrs. Interim |
Chris Waters 53.75 hrs. |
Kirsten Young Scan project 34.25 hrs. |
Total Hours: 885 hrs. |
| German Exchange Students: Two job descriptions: Cultural Events and Writing Clinic, funded by the Reciprocity Budget |
Markus Wierschem Writing clinic 69.5 hrs. |
Katharina Lappe writing clinic/events 56 hrs. |
Susanne Benkisser Cultural events 54 hours |
Total hours: 179.5 Hours (Reciprocity) |
|
7) Student extra-curricular Activities (by activity, date, student numbers, language, and organizer)
German House (September 5, 2007 - May 14, 2008) - Stephanie Spitzer, Konstanz
8 language students; daily German language conversations
Film Series (September 5, 2007 - May 14, 2008) - Nicole Grewling
7 - 15 average student participants; Thursdays every other week
Panel Discussion (September 20, 2007) - Nichole Grewling
4 exchange students, Katharina Lappe, Stephanie Spitzer, Markus Wierschem and Susanne Benkisser; 40 lower level language students. Topic: "Proud to be a German? Some Thoughts on German National Feelings," in English.Lecture Discussion (October 1, 2007) - Karl Fink
Dr. Carsten Albers: "Gegen die Wand? Uberlegungen zur situation von Musliminen in Deutschland," 25 advanced language students, in German.
New Ulm Excursion (October 6, 2007) - Kristina Lauenstein, German House President
6 students - Laura Schaefer, van driver, Oktober Fest celebrationPanel Discussion (October 24, 2007) - Nichole Grewling
15 advanced language students, Markus Weischem, Katharina Leppe, Stephanie SPitzer, Susanne Benkisser.
Topic: "Neues und Altes aus dem Land der Kichter," in German and EnglishClassroom Guest from Germany (October 30, 2007) - Karl Fink
German 372 Seminar, "Inside Germany," 10 students
Guest: Dr. Hans-juergen Ahrens, CEO of the German National Health systems (AOK)
Topic: "Issues in State and Private Health Systems," in GermanDeutsches Kochfest (November 19, 2007) - Susanne Benkisser and Stephanie SPitzer, Konstanz, 25 advanced language students, Larson Hall kitchen, cooking demonstrations for "Kartoffelsalat" und "Fleischkǜchle" and full meal served
Christmas Movie (November 29, 2007) - German/French co-event
40 German and French students; Film title: "Joyeux Noël"Christmas Cooky Bake (December 3, 2007) - Stephanie SPitzer, Konstanz, German House
15 advanced language students, German house residents and guestsSecret Santa "Wichtel" (December 5, 2007) - Nicole Grewling
25 advanced language students. Santa Claus - Markus Wiershem; gift exchange - Susanne BenkisserGerman Advant Service (December 5, 2007) - Nicole Grewling
Estimated public crowd of 150; Guest speaker, Amy THoren '94German House "Wilkommen zurǜck" (February 15, 2008) - Stephanie SPitzer, Konstanz
20 students, open house for returning studentsGerman House "Spielabend" (April 20, 2008) - Stephanie SPitzer
20 advanced language students; board games from GermanyGerman Language Recognition (May 14, 2008) - Karl Fink
25 advanced language students;
Recognition for language achievement: Katarina Schmitt, Leila Roos, Josh Clapp and Jake Boyce
Recognition for Senior Greduates: Matt Berry, Allie Jones, Jake BOyce, and Laura Schaefer
Book and travel bag gifts from the German Embassy and the German Information Services, Washington, and the Goethe Institute, Chicago
8) Departmental Service (by appointments)
Department Chair |
German House |
Student Activities |
Study Abroad |
Karl Fink |
Nicole Grewling |
Nicole Grewling |
Karl Fink |
9) Professional Activity
Karen Achberger
Article: 'Ein Schrei [....] unter den Singenden' - Musik und leiderfarung in der Lyrik von Nelly Sachs,' in Lichtersprache aus den Rissen'. Nelly Sachs - Werk and Wirkund. Ed. Ariane Huml. Wallstein Verlag, Göttengen, 2008 pp. 203-214.
Papers: "Finding a Voice in Academic Writing," in a section on "Professional Praxis: The Creative Possibilities of Academic Writing," Women in German conference in Utah, October 18-21, 2007.
Panelist: "German Political Satire," German Studies Association conference in San Diego, October 4-7, 2007.
Grants: DAAD grant ($3,200) to participate in a seminar on "Teachnology of Memories: Collective Traumatic Remembrance in Modern Germany" at Cornell University, June 16-July 27, 2008
Sabbatical Project: a studey of representation of the Nazi past in post-war German film, to her teaching in spring 2009; German 373 in Post-war German Cinema
Designed class lectures: on German film for Media Studies 240; World Cinema, (2008-09) coordinated by Diana Postlethwaite.
Karl Fink
Papers: "Kleist's Justice Beyond Tears," Conference Session: Kleist the Unlikely Social-Political Critic, German Studies Association, October 4-7, 2007
Nicole Grewling
Articles: "German Heroes of Civilization - Colonial Fantasies in Freidrich Pajeken's Literature for Young Readers." Colloquia Germanica. Special Edition on Travel Writing. (forthcoming)
Book Reviews: Lynne Tatlock and Matt Erlin (eds.), German Culture in Nineteenth-Century America: Reception, Adaptation, Transformation, Colloquia Germanica (forthcoming)
Papers: "Welche Wüteriche müssen die Deutchen sein' - German Racism and Colonial Dreams in Sophie Wörishoffer's Youth Literature," German Studies Association Annual Meeting, San Diego, October 2007
"Fighting the Two-Souled Warrior: German Colonial Fantasies on North America. Language and Literature Group, October 2007.
"Fictionalizing the Travelogue: The Reinvention of the Scientist in Andreas Kollender's Teori," Kentucky Foreign Language Conference, Lexington, April 2008.
LaVern Rippley
Articles: "The Germans," The American Midwest An Interpretive Encyclopedia (Bloomington, Indiana University Press.
Papers: "Eugene V. Smalley - Duluth Promoter," Northern Great Plains History Conference, Duluth, October 4, 2007.
Book Reports: for the Society of German American Studies Newsletter, and the American Library Association journal Choice
Workshops: Family research on Germans: Divided, decided, determined," Family History Workshop 32, October 6, 2007 at Moorhead State College, Moorhead, MN
Presentations: "German Family Genealogy: Hatched, Matched and Dispatched" the Family History Workshop 32 on October 6, 2007 at Moorhead State College, Moorhead, MN
"German Settlement Patterns in the Upper Midwest: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, the Dakotas: First the Rivers, then the Railroad," a Germanic Genealogy Society Annual Membership Meeting, Saturday, November 10, 2007, Gastof zur Geműtlichkeit.
"From Steers to Steerage - Why German Emigrants Left - the Farm Economy," at the Minnesota German Genealogical Society, 1185 Concord Street No., South St. Pauy, January 5, 2008.
"Minnesota Germans in the American Civil War," at annual Symposium of the Society for German-American Studies meeting in Williamsburg, VA, April 18, 2008.
"Hinter-Pommern" mit Ostpreuβen: A review of its Gutswesen" (Plantation style of life and farming) from 1750 - 1945" May 11, 2008 at the Minnesota German Genealogical Society, 1185 Concord Street No., South St. Paul, MN.
"Myths We Live By," an address to the Alumni luncheon, the five-year class reunion, Stav Hall, St. Olaf Campus, May 24, 2008.
10. German Operating Budget (by top five expenditures and total annual budget)
Gen. Supplies |
Copy Chg PC |
Conv Copy |
Postage |
Catering |
Budget |
Budget: $500 |
Budget: $600 |
Budget $700 |
Budget $300 |
Budget: $200 |
Allotted $5600 |
Spent: $923 |
Spent: $678 |
Spent: $727 |
Spent $320 |
Spent: $433 |
Spent $5478 |
11. Placement Exam Results (scored froma possible 125 grammar points plus 3 essays
Spring Registration, Fall Term, 2007-08
Placement Exam, Fall Term 2007-08
Course Cont. Groups, 2007-08 0-50 51-81 81+ E 81 + E 81+ E 125 + E
12 59-80
6 71-80
Class and Lab Enrollments, Fall Term 2007-08
114 minus 49 = 65
Spring Registration, Fall Term, 2008-09
12) Three year staff plan (by appointments, FTEs and Sabbaticals)
Karen Achberger |
Karl Fink |
Vern Rippley |
Nicole Grewling |
Sarah Manz |
|
| 2007-08 | Sabbatical |
FTE 1 |
FTE 1 |
FTE 1 |
|
| 2008-09 | FTE 1 |
FTE 1 |
FTE 1 |
FTE .5 |
|
| 2009-10 | FTE 1 |
FTE 1 |
Sabbatical |
||
| 2010-11 | FTE 1 |
Sabbatical |
FTE 1 |
