Call for Proposals for 2025-2026 CLACs
We are happy to call for proposals for Cultures and Languages Across the Curriculum (CLAC) courses for the 2025-2026 academic year. For examples of current and past CLAC courses, see here.
CLAC courses make significant use of one or more languages other than English, but are not primarily language classes. It is a flexible format that ranges from content classes taught entirely in a target language to mixed-language classes that offer exposure to aspects of a subject matter which is facilitated by the use of a language other than English. These courses are sometimes taught by the same instructor as a “parent” class, in cases when they are linked, or by another instructor; students may include native speakers of the target language, advanced (and/or intermediate- or even beginning-level) learners, or both.
CLAC courses can be taught as part of an instructor’s standard courseload, with the agreement of one’s Chair and Dean, or as overloads for which the instructor receives a stipend.
CLAC courses are typically offered once/week, Cr/U, for 0.5-credit or 0.25-credit. They may be associated with an existing English-language class or may be standalone, and may be hosted in any academic unit (and cross listed in CGST). For student feedback on Victoria Smolkin’s Russian-language CLAC (in this case, associated with an English-language “parent” class), see here. CLACs at Wesleyan have been shown to increase interest in continued language study and, for native or heritage speakers of other languages, to increase students’ sense of belonging at Wesleyan.
For 2025-2026, Academic Affairs and FCGS are able to support at least five overload CLAC courses each semester.
Academic Affairs will pay the instructor of each selected course a stipend that is 50% or 25% of the standard full-credit visitor rate for your rank, and FCGS will reimburse up to $300 of expenses for course preparation for each selected course. CLAC courses that enroll fewer than 5 students may still run (at the instructor’s option), but with a reduced stipend depending on enrollment.
Interested faculty are encouraged to contact Anita Deeg-Carlin (Assoc. Dir of Intercultural Learning, FCGS) or Masami Imai (FCGS Director) to discuss ideas or with questions about details. Proposals are due no later than Friday, January 31.
There is more information about CLAC here, as well as on the CLAC Moodle (write Anita to request access if needed), which contains some sample syllabi and other information. Proposals should include the following elements:
CLAC courses make significant use of one or more languages other than English, but are not primarily language classes. It is a flexible format that ranges from content classes taught entirely in a target language to mixed-language classes that offer exposure to aspects of a subject matter which is facilitated by the use of a language other than English. These courses are sometimes taught by the same instructor as a “parent” class, in cases when they are linked, or by another instructor; students may include native speakers of the target language, advanced (and/or intermediate- or even beginning-level) learners, or both.
CLAC courses can be taught as part of an instructor’s standard courseload, with the agreement of one’s Chair and Dean, or as overloads for which the instructor receives a stipend.
CLAC courses are typically offered once/week, Cr/U, for 0.5-credit or 0.25-credit. They may be associated with an existing English-language class or may be standalone, and may be hosted in any academic unit (and cross listed in CGST). For student feedback on Victoria Smolkin’s Russian-language CLAC (in this case, associated with an English-language “parent” class), see here. CLACs at Wesleyan have been shown to increase interest in continued language study and, for native or heritage speakers of other languages, to increase students’ sense of belonging at Wesleyan.
For 2025-2026, Academic Affairs and FCGS are able to support at least five overload CLAC courses each semester.
Academic Affairs will pay the instructor of each selected course a stipend that is 50% or 25% of the standard full-credit visitor rate for your rank, and FCGS will reimburse up to $300 of expenses for course preparation for each selected course. CLAC courses that enroll fewer than 5 students may still run (at the instructor’s option), but with a reduced stipend depending on enrollment.
Interested faculty are encouraged to contact Anita Deeg-Carlin (Assoc. Dir of Intercultural Learning, FCGS) or Masami Imai (FCGS Director) to discuss ideas or with questions about details. Proposals are due no later than Friday, January 31.
There is more information about CLAC here, as well as on the CLAC Moodle (write Anita to request access if needed), which contains some sample syllabi and other information. Proposals should include the following elements:
- Title of proposed CLAC course
- Proposed host unit (courses are typically cross-listed as CGST but hosted elsewhere, though if needed they can be hosted as CGST)
- Title and course number of the parent class (if applicable)
- Name of parent class instructor (if applicable / if different from applicant)
- Description of proposed CLAC course (noting primary language of instruction), highlighting the elements that will take place in the target language, and noting what level(s) of student language background will be appropriate
- Name and language background of primary instructor
- Brief discussion of how the section will enhance the Wesleyan’s curriculum
- Approval from Chair(s) of instructor’s Department, Program, or College
- Any other information that will be helpful
Proposals will be reviewed by the Academic Deans, with decisions announced as soon as possible.