[EDLING:108] Oregon: Language instructors lose battle with debt

[Francis M. Hult]

Oregon Daily Emerald

Language instructors lose battle with debt

At a time when University students, faculty and staff are demanding more 
diversity on campus, one of the most racially diverse departments is facing 
serious obstacles.

With faculty members from 10 different countries, the Department of Romance 
Languages is already a department that exhibits characteristics that others are 
attempting to develop. But because of chronic under-funding and outstanding 
debt, the department is unable to renew the contracts of five "highly-qualified 
instructors" this fall.

It is a downward spiral in which the department has been stuck for several 
years, resulting in the continual loss of faculty, department head Barbara 
Altmann said. Cuts have been made in all three language programs - French, 
Italian and Spanish - although Spanish has faced the most severe loss because 
it is the biggest program.

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nguage.Instructors.Lose.Battle.With.Debt-2899755.shtml