Foreign Language Study Possibly Cut From Core
Falon Perez
Issue date: 5/5/07 Section: News
For the students at Mercy College, a required foreign language class may be a thing of the past in a year's time.
On March 13, members of the Mercy College community were informed that the General Education Revision Committee has eliminated the Foreign Language requirement from its newly proposed Liberal Arts core requirements.
Jeff Bellantoni, Chair of the General Education Revision Committee, stated to the Foreign Language department that it would be able to discuss and debate the proposal with the committee next October before a full-faculty vote is taken. The General Education Revision Committee is a sub-committee of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.
Bellantoni stated the committee is seeking approval from the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and the Senate to approve a process of faculty review and final vote to approve the changes. The Senate on May 4 will vote to approve these recommendations to be put forth to the faculty for discussion, further revisions if required, and
a full-faculty vote, in October of 2007.
While some students would be relieved not to have to worry about a language class when they enter college, in today's society many feel it is beneficial to know a second language.
Professors like Dr. Luisa Perdigo, Director of the Foreign Language Department, are taking action to try to stop this from happening. She addressed the committee on April 3 to voice her concerns.
"The whole world is in New York. Our students need to learn more than one language in this day and age to enter and be prepared in the work force," she said.
Today, the work force in America wants employees who are able to speak more than one language, she feels.
"Languages are everywhere, and our world is rich because it is multilingual and multicultural. Our students come to college to expand their minds and become educated citizens of the world," Perdigo stated in an email sent to the Mercy College community.
On March 13, members of the Mercy College community were informed that the General Education Revision Committee has eliminated the Foreign Language requirement from its newly proposed Liberal Arts core requirements.
Jeff Bellantoni, Chair of the General Education Revision Committee, stated to the Foreign Language department that it would be able to discuss and debate the proposal with the committee next October before a full-faculty vote is taken. The General Education Revision Committee is a sub-committee of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.
Bellantoni stated the committee is seeking approval from the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and the Senate to approve a process of faculty review and final vote to approve the changes. The Senate on May 4 will vote to approve these recommendations to be put forth to the faculty for discussion, further revisions if required, and
a full-faculty vote, in October of 2007.
While some students would be relieved not to have to worry about a language class when they enter college, in today's society many feel it is beneficial to know a second language.
Professors like Dr. Luisa Perdigo, Director of the Foreign Language Department, are taking action to try to stop this from happening. She addressed the committee on April 3 to voice her concerns.
"The whole world is in New York. Our students need to learn more than one language in this day and age to enter and be prepared in the work force," she said.
Today, the work force in America wants employees who are able to speak more than one language, she feels.
"Languages are everywhere, and our world is rich because it is multilingual and multicultural. Our students come to college to expand their minds and become educated citizens of the world," Perdigo stated in an email sent to the Mercy College community.
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