The petition
Due to the budget crisis, UF and its administrations are making sacrifices that are going to impact all aspects of the university. As proposed by President Machen and his Board of Trustees, one specific cut is the removal of the Korean and Vietnamese Language Programs. Though all the departments are affected, the African and Asian Language and Lit (AALL) Dept. faces the most consequences, comprising 35% of the university's entire layoff of faculty. This includes 6 faculty, all of whom is minority and 5 of whom are women. Considering these numbers, it is doubtful whether the university is truly committed to cultural diversity and equality.
It is unjust for the minorities to suffer from losing the programs they worked vigorously hard to obtain. For example, it took the Vietnamese community 10 years of labor and endurance for language classes to finally be implemented in the curriculum. To lose these language classes would cause a lack of quality in UF's academics especially for those who comprehensively major in Asian Studies. Furthermore the removal of these classes would lessen the variety and this lower the standards for those who are required to take a year of language specifically in CLAS. To cease the existing product of the Korean and Vietnamese’s diligent efforts would surely be heartbreaking.
70 students have taken Vietnamese with Andrea Pham this past year. Dedication and an eagerness to learn characterize these students because a great amount of them are either returning students or students who anticipate continuing their Vietnamese studies in the future. The statistic of 70 students may cause skepticism, but the Vietnamese program is promisingly projected to expand to such a greater number. It is through the Asian community along with their increasing enthusiasm and genuine interest that would justify this stupendous growth.
For most students, the Korean and Vietnamese courses at UF are highly valued for they teach cultural ideals while also providing the sense of a personal home. With the formal classes, students are enabled to refine their linguistic skills and utilize their education with family members, community, and eventual workplace. Because Korea and Vietnam play crucial roles in our global network, it is vital for the students to linguistically prepare themselves NOW so they can be readily integrated in the world beyond college.
Though only two years of Korean and Vietnamese language are offered at UF, the incredible benefits of linguistics enhancement and application far outweighs the limited exposure awarded to the students who are enrolled. It would be impossible to replace these experiences by any other sources offered at our university.
We are aware that the budget-cut is going to affect the fiscal year in ALL areas of the university, but due to the sincere concerns of the Asian community we are urging the senate faculty to NOT remove Korean and Vietnamese language courses. It is for the sake of the Asian community and the generations to come.
This petition is meant for ANYONE whether you are a UF, in-state, out of state, or even an international student!!! We need to show the UF administration the power in numbers!!
PLEASE SIGN AND ACT NOW!! It is of utmost importance that you do so before President Machen and his Board of Trustees make any final decisions on May 14th!!
Newly added by Professor Kyung-Eun Yoon:
"There has been a high demand for Korean, too. The Korean classes have been almost full every semester and Dr. Yoon even needed to have individual studies for students who wanted to learn above the intermediate level that
UF currently offers. Based on such a demand, Dr. Yoon applied for an external grant from Korea Foundation and she has just been awarded a $10,000
grant to expand the program to third-year Korean classes for AY 2008-2009."
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