A Course on Mormonism at Harvard

For the first time in the history of the Harvard Divinity School (as far as I can tell), a course on Mormonism (“Mormonism and the American Experience” taught by Melissa Proctor) will be offered.

Is this significant for LDSs? If so, in what ways (or to what degree)? Is it a part of a “golden age” of Mormon Studies? And if so, so what? Does it matter at all, except for a small sub-segment of academically-oriented LDSs, that Mormonism is on showcase at a premiere academic institution? Or is there something more to be said for the role of the scholar in relation to her/his tradition?

I would like to think that there is something significant going on here (meaning with Mormon Studies as a whole and not simply this class taught at Harvard); but I can’t quite get beyond my own predisposition to approach my religious tradition through a more academic lens. In other words, I would like to believe that this is something significant for Mormonism as a whole; but cannot see beyond it being simply significant for my individual approach to the topic. Can someone help me out?