I was shocked to read in last weeks Argus about the cuts that will be made to the language departments next year. I want to stress my belief that introductory language courses are important, and as an elite University dedicated to the intellectual development of its students, Wesleyan must be able to offer basic curriculum. According to Miriam Gottfried’s article last Friday, April 23, “the Spanish Department cut five courses including two sections of 101, a fall semester section of 102, and two spring semester sections of 102. One section each of the fall semester French 101 and the spring semester 102 was also cut, in addition to two fall sections of 111, and one of 112.”
These sweeping cuts of essential courses reflect a disturbing trend in the decisions coming out of the administration these days. Apparently there is not enough money in the school’s endowment to maintain this curriculum, yet the University has jumped directly into a multi-million dollar “master plan” to paint a superficial veneer on this place. Don’t try to tell me that there is not enough money to improve, let alone maintain, the language department’s course offerings, when millions are being spent building an addition to the gym, upper-class dorms on Fauver field, a new film facility (while old film equipment continues to be neglected), a glass connector thing between the chapel and the ’92 theatre, and a “humanities” building replacing Downey House with offices.
This last point is particularly troubling, as the base of the humanities is language, and right across the street the Romance language department can’t even provide students with the possibility of taking Spanish 101. It seems to me that this University is simply trying to compete with other schools by giving this place a face-lift so that it will look nice, while completely neglecting what makes this school amazing: It’s students. And I can’t imagine how dismayed incoming students will be upon finding no introductory language courses at a school worth 40,000 dollars a year. Don’t try to tell me that the budget is suffering from a bad economy when we dish out this kind of money so that we can take the classes that want. One of the most important departments in any University is language.
I have benefited directly from introductory language courses at Wesleyan, taking French 101 my freshman year, which enabled me to study abroad in France, learning the language fluently and exposing me to another culture. I could go on about how this experience enriched my life as a student, but I don’t think it’s necessary. The point is that it would never have been possible without an intro language course. And now there is no Spanish 101!
In a world where 266 million people speak native Spanish, making it the second most widely spoken language in the world, the importance of language as a tool of communication and cultural preservation is very evident. In this privileged little liberal arts bubble, which has amazing potential to make the world a better place, the administration is neglecting reality and its students.
Por favor estamos aqui y no lo soportamos! Queremos y demandamos nuestros cursos de lengua! Give us back our courses!
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