From the external reviewers’ Evaluation of the Department of History,
Marquette University:
"We find the Marquette University Department of History to be a lively, productive, congenial unit that is doing an outstanding job of maintaining a healthy balance among its obligations of teaching, research, and service. The department has undergone tremendous changes in the past half dozen years and has handled the transition smoothly and capably. It has worked together to hire a promising cohort of younger historians, dedicated to both teaching and scholarship, and the presence of these new historians has energized the older, more established members of the faculty in the best possible ways. Curricular changes have begun to reflect new interests. The department is admirably fulfilling its own mission and the mission of the larger university. . . .
"The faculty prides itself on its congeniality, and that is indeed the watchword of the department. At the same time, different groups within the department have different concerns, and we will address these separately. This is an exceptionally successful department in its three tasks: instruction, scholarship, and service.
"The department has been through a tremendous transformation with the addition of a significant number of new junior faculty members. Rather than divide the department, this infusion of new people has energized it, especially the senior faculty. There is a real sense of camaraderie, mutual respect, and eagerness to work together. This attitude spills over into the faculty members’ relationships with students. Undergraduate and graduate students alike feel welcomed at all times, no matter what their questions or problems, by members of the History faculty. In our talks with graduate and undergraduate students, it became clear that faculty congeniality never goes beyond what is appropriate, but rather helps bring out the best achievements of the students.
"The new hires have allowed the department to branch out into a whole range of new areas. This has allowed for greater coverage of world history, and has led directly to the development of the new M.A. degree in Global Studies, which we applaud. The department is to be commended for not simply hiring in the areas opened up by retirements but for reconfiguring its curricular priorities in line with contemporary trends in the profession. . . .
"In conclusion, we believe that this is a first-rate department of committed teachers and creative scholars, doing precisely what they are supposed to be doing. We applaud their scholarly productivity, with books coming out of major presses, and encourage them to continue the good work. We likewise hail their commitment to classroom teaching and were delighted to see the results. Transitions can be difficult, and the department has handled admirably the rebuilding process of the past decade. . . . Finally, we wish to observe that this is an outstanding department that deserves recognition for a job well done from the central administration."
