THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 3, 1994 TAG: 9408030006
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 33 lines
Eliminating the Russian major to save $100,000 at Old Dominion University is a sham.
I was instrumental in the start of the program at ODU three decades ago and taught Russian there for 22 years. For more than 20 years, most Russian graduates moved on to top-paying jobs in their field. In addition to the existing full-time faculty member, only a part-time teacher would be required to continue the program.
One of the shameful wastes in college-university curricula is the offering of 101/102 and 201/202 French, German and Spanish foreign-language classes. College-bound public-school students in Virginia are required to take three years of one foreign language or two years of two foreign languages. Some high-school students take up to five years of one foreign language.
Why offer beginning language courses at the post-secondary level? It is a duplication of effort, squandering of funds, poor use of resources and waste of student time.
If we are talking about saving money, let's save some real money.
JOHN A. FAHEY
Associate professor emeritus
Old Dominion University
Virginia Beach, July 28, 1994 by CNB