Why Penn State faculty are eliminating words like ‘freshmen’ and ‘upperclassmen’ from course catalogs
Penn State students won’t find words like “freshmen” or “upperclassmen” in the university’s course catalog and bulletin in the near future — not after university faculty voted Tuesday to remove gendered terms from course and program descriptions in a bid to become more inclusive.
The university’s faculty senate voted 125-13 to approve the change.
“This is hopefully the first step of many to assure our words throughout the university are inclusive and welcoming,” said William Kenyon, a member of the senate committee on curricular affairs and head of the university’s Lighting Design Program.
Some terms on the cutting-room floor include “upperclassmen,” which can be “interpreted as both sexist and classist,” and “freshmen,” which is “decidedly male-specific” per the faculty senate’s legislation. He/she pronouns are also being dumped for the all-inclusive “them.”
Instead of describing class by freshmen, senior and the like, course and program descriptions will now refer to first-year, second-year, etc. “Upper division” and “lower division” will also replace upperclassmen and underclassmen.
The change comes a little more than three months after the U.S. House of Representatives reworded the House rules to include gender-neutral language. Republicans blasted the proposal, which passed 217-206 in H.R. 8, with minority leader Kevin McCarthy labeling the move “stupid.”
Still, several studies have shown the small changes in language can still have a notable impact on people’s tolerance.
A 2019 research article penned by professors from Washington and Cal, which cited several studies, showed that gender-neutral language can increase the acceptance of non-binary LGBTQ individuals. A 2016 study published in “Frontiers in Psychology” found much of the same. Even the United Nations actively encourages staff to use gender-inclusive language.
Fortunately for Penn State’s faculty, professors won’t be required to turn in new course and program descriptions. Instead, the aim of the faculty senate is to have such terms essentially replaced administratively.
Not all gendered terms would be replaced, of course. In classes that focus on women’s studies, or where gender is a necessity, words would remain unchanged. Steps will also be taken to ensure the change in language does not interfere with financial aid, scholarships or impact the university’s accreditation.
The faculty senate’s move builds off previous legislation, such as the “Preferred Name and Gender Identity Policy,” which allows students to input a preferred name or preferred gender within the university’s information systems.
The next faculty senate meeting is tentatively scheduled for July 13.
