A farewell to academic excellence
Commentary by Geraldine Márquez-Santiago
On Tuesday January 18, 2011, we were called in to a meeting to the English Department in the College of Humanities of the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras. We were supposed to receive our graded research proposals for a methodologies course. Nearly all of the students showed up, and the class meeting proceeded as it normally did. Our graded projects were handed in, and we received constructive criticism on how to improve on a future research proposal.
However, just as the meeting was coming to an end, the professor dropped a bomb on us. We were informed that due to the “poor” enrollment numbers from freshmen into the English Linguistics and Communication program, the administration had decided to put the program on hold. As a result, the program will no longer accept new students, beginning in August 2011. After the students who enrolled this past academic year finish their Bachelor’s degree, the program will be removed from the academic offerings.
The linguistics and Speech Communication program is only one of the ten programs that are going through the same situation. The Economics, Statistics and Spanish programs from the Business Administration faculties; The History and English as a second language for pre-school program from the Education Faculty and the Nutrition program for the Natural Science Faculty have been all put on hold. In the case of Hispanic Studies (Estudios Hispánicos) the entire department itself was put on pause. The excuse for the dissolution of the programs is apparently the lack of interest and low tuition from new students.
Eliminating and putting on pause these programs only creates a paradox. They eliminate them because “no one” wants to take them, but simultaneously close the door for the new freshman students that want to join the programs. The truth of the matter is that the administration wants to cut back on the spending, and, instead of focusing on the things that do not bring anything to the table, they have merely decided to do budget cuts, fire professors and eliminate what they perceive to be useless.
In the end, this is a move that will come back to haunt the administration, as prospective students that might have an interest in the eliminated programs will be forced to look for other universities. Even those who aren’t interested in the programs will begin to worry if their programs are in danger and will most likely transfer out. These prospective students not only represent a loss of tuition money, but also a loss of future academic excellence. By getting rid of the programs, the university is losing the next great Chomsky, or the next Julia Kristeva or, on an even sadder note, the next great Luis Palés Matos. This is truly the greatest tragedy, apparently not seen on present, but shall be felt on the near future when mediocrity is triumphant over excellence, cheering on public education’s demise.
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Geraldine, as a professor in the English Department I very much appreciate your remarks in support of our program. However, you should know that at this point there is no decision to remove the LICO program. We are in the process of challenging the decision and revamping to create a sustainable program.
Dear Professor Swope:
I am very glad to hear that you are challenging the universities decision to even put on ‘pause’ the program. Please know that if you need students to speak out in favor for the program, I and my of my classmates would happy to do it.
Thank you so much for reading and commenting on the article
sincerly yours
Geraldine
Hi, I am not and English mayor, but will try my best.
I see the issue from both sides
The lack of enrollment is due to the poor message we bring to the new students (aka the high school), that the quality of our education is a MUST for the quality of our life.
Nonsense strikes, the lack of questioning what we are as a nation, (I am pro-statehood, but I am from Puerto Rico and respect very much the “Independentistas”), we criticizes violence, but allow our children’s to watch reggeton where the message is violence, we promote affairs and enyoy “la Comay” but then we ask for “values”, we did not correct the spanglish we listen in our kids, and the texting language the use in their mobiles phones and Facebook.
These among several are the reasons for our quality of life.
On the other hand, I have to recognize and gave “A++” to the attitude of revamping the program, because time changes and we need to change to meet the demands.
Instead of criticize; we must put all this energy to work towards the solution and to save what many believe is a must.
The University is important in all aspect of our life, but they are in the business of Education, and in the world we are living the attitude is revamping to become a “sustainable program”.
Wish you my best.
Oh lady, this is beautiful and I agree with you, but here comes the ugly truth: No demand, no supply.
[...] a column for Revista Latitudes [es], Geraldine Márquez-Santiago gives a first hand account of how the faculty members of the English Department found out that the E…. She also criticizes the decision: Eliminating and putting on pause these programs only creates a [...]
[...] a column for Revista Latitudes [es], Geraldine Márquez-Santiago gives a first hand account of how the faculty members of the English Department found out that the E…. She also criticizes the decision: Eliminating and putting on pause these programs only creates a [...]