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35 Years of the Core Curriculum
A 1988 memo to CAS faculty proposed the creation of “an integrated curriculum with a sustained exposure to great works of literature, philosophy, religion, and the arts” that “continue to speak to us today.” The Core Curriculum—which turned 35 in 2024—consisted of up to six courses (and a handful of electives) covering the philosophical and natural arc of history. Students’ guides for the epic journey range from Homer to W.E.B. DuBois, with an objective of building a “community of readers, thinkers, and creators” ready to “meet the challenge of our present moment.” Around one in five first-year students opts into the program, coming from almost every major at CAS—and beyond.
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Textile Tales
BU’s African Studies Center is one of the country’s leaders in the promotion of African language and related studies—and its collection includes some 218 textiles from 18 countries. A 2025 exhibition at Mugar Memorial Library—Textiles Tell Stories: Exploring the African Studies Library Collection—paired fabrics with text that explained their importance. Cynthia Becker, a professor of African art and chair of the history of art and architecture department, helped curate the exhibition. “Learning about African textiles provides insights into the histories, cultural identities, and political expressions of an extremely diverse continent,” she says. “Like books, these fabrics tell stories.”
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