OSU forces foreign language cuts

Department planning to cut at least eight courses in fall, Italian instruction may end

By: Daniel Acee

Posted: 5/27/08

Students who were looking forward to becoming fluent in a foreign language may find it difficult in the next few years.

The foreign languages and literatures department at OSU will be experiencing budget cuts in Fall 2008.

While the OUS Fact Book shows a trend of larger class sizes, language classes are suffering as they try to maintain the smaller sizes necessary for quality instruction.

"Other departments have maintained a balanced budget by offering large lectures for lots of students," said Guy Wood, temporary active chair of the FLL department.

"In language classes, you can't do that. [Language is] a skill, a lot like music. The professor needs to be able to listen to their students, and you can't get that personal help in a place like Milam Auditorium."

The FLL department is currently expecting to cut at least eight courses, a number that is down from the original decision to cut 17. The classes will mostly be cut from first- and second-year Spanish and French. Italian will experience the greatest change.

"The most drastic measure I have taken at this point is cutting the first-year Italian classes," Wood said. "It is drastic because first-year Italian classes are filling very well, and they are making money for the university."

Christopher Baldridge, an Italian instructor at OSU, started the Italian program seven years ago.

"I started the Italian program in 2001. It was nothing but a success for seven years, and this last year had two first-year classes," Baldridge said.

Foreign language courses are not only a requirement for many students at OSU, Baldridge said, but they are also important for everyone, providing an opportunities to know other languages.

"We want to teach as much as we can, assuring a quality education, just doing a good job," Baldridge said. "We feel like we do, and we are working hard to ensure the continuation of that. We just want to be recognized for it, and we want to be funded for it."

Baldridge recently sent out a letter signed by more than half of the professors in the FLL department to local publications.

The letter explains the pressure the FLL department is under to cut down its budget costs. It details the difficulties students will have in registering for the right classes and completing requirements on time to graduate. The letter concludes with figures showing the deficit the FLL department is in and future problems that may occur.

To commemorate the end of Italian at OSU, Baldridge will be hosting a mock funeral outside Kidder Hall from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. today.

Some foreign language classes will attend, as will faculty, staff and stu-

dents involved in the FLL department.

All students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend the mock funeral.

"This is important stuff we do, and we need recognition for it," Baldridge said. "At the same time, we are building our identity as a department, looking to make sure that we are doing the best that we can for our students and for our College of Liberal Arts."

Wood stated that the department's long-term goal is to create a plan that will maintain the present languages, majors and minors offered.

In addition he hopes to eventually add new languages and minors once the budget situation has been solved.

"My job is to maintain morale within the department," Wood said.

"Being chair is not as fun as one would think. It's very stressful, especially with this situation at hand. But I am going to survive, and so will the department."

Daniel Acee, senior reporter

news@dailybarometer.com, 737-2231