Loss of Russian Position at The U of Memphis

Fri May 16 19:53:58 UTC 2003

Dear Slavists,

As Ben Rifkin wrote previously, I am asking for your support in a letter-writing
campaign to save the Russian program at The University of Memphis.  This program,
as an integral part of the liberal arts mission of the College of Arts and Sciences,
provides support to the College's programs in International Studies (which has a
Russian and East European concentration) and History (which has a Russian field).
The following is a brief history of the process of the elimination of the tenure-track
position as well as an outline of the efforts I have undertaken to increase enrollments
over the past nine months.

Let me just add that I would appreciate any support that Slavists can offer as we try
to maintain the Russian program at The University of Memphis.  I think that it best
that we act immediately, since the University seems to still be in negotiations over
these cuts.

Please let me know if I can provide you with any additional information.

Thanking you in advance...

Elizabeth Blake
Head, Russian Section
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
The University of Memphis
eblake1 at memphis.edu
(901) 678-3164

HISTORY
I was hired in a tenure-track position starting August 2002 in a position that had
been vacant for two years.  In February 2003 the faculty was informed that the
elimination of some part-time instructor positions would be necessary to meet the
budget cutbacks proposed by the Tennessee governor.  Subsequently, the part-time
instruction in the Russian section was scaled back.  On May 1st (the day following
the last day of classes at the University) I picked up a letter at the post office
informing me that my tenure-track position would not be extended beyond the 2002-
2003 academic year.  No reason was given in the letter, but in a phone conversation
with my department chair I was told that the provost made the decision based on
enrollment figures (he was not specific about which figures) over the objections of
the department chair who preferred to eliminate an instructor position in another
language rather than a tenure-track position in Russian.  The provost decided
instead to eliminate the Russian concentration (minor and major).

The department faculty was informed of the decision on May 6th and have already
written a letter of protest to the provost, because they were not involved in the
decision-making process.  On May 14th, the university community was notified of the
cuts, and on May 15th the news appeared in the local newspaper together in an
article about the loss of the Russian position.  Other faculty members are looking to
bring the matter before the faculty senate that meets at the beginning of June.

As far as the letters are concerned, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences 
Henry Kurtz, the President of the University  Shirley Raines, and the Provost of the
University  Ralph Faudree are the administrators most directly involved with the
decision.  Their contact information is as follows:

Shirley Raines
sraines at memphis.edu
Office of the President
341 Administration Bldg.
The University of Memphis
Memphis, TN 38152

Ralph Faudree
rfaudree at memphis.edu
Office of the Provost
360 Administration Bldg.
The University of Memphis
Memphis, TN 38152

Henry Kurtz
hkurtz at memphis.edu
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
217 Mitchell Hall
The University of Memphis
Memphis, TN 38152.

Here is an evaluation of the program that I wrote for my first-year review:

2002-3 EVALUATION OF RUSSIAN PROGRAM
The University of Memphis
Dr. Elizabeth Blake

Fall 2002

Enrollment Statistics
The number of students in the first-year courses has increased to twenty over
thirteen last fall, but the number of students in the second-year course fell to four
from last fall's eight. Whereas there were no students in last fall's third-year course,
there was one student in this course in fall 2002.  The enrollment in the literature in
translation course increased from one to two students this fall.

Addition of Majors/Minors
Two students expressed interest in declaring a Russian concentration as part of their
foreign language major while one student continued to work on his minor in
Russian.  Also a student with a concentration in international studies worked on his
Russian in an independent study with me.

Recruitment Efforts
To encourage student interest in Russian, I organized a trip to the Czar's Exhibit,
sponsored Russian film viewings, and provided a traditional Russian meal at an
end-of-the-semester gathering.  Although sparsely attended (with no more than
three students showing up at any given time), I hope that such occasions will
promote peer-mentoring so that beginning students will be encouraged to develop
further their interest in Russian.

Spring 2003

Enrollment Statistics
The enrollment of students in the first-year course decreased by approximately one-
half from the fall's numbers.  The second-year course still has an enrollment of four
students while the enrollment in the literature in translation course increased to five.
Five students enrolled in a new special topics course in Russian/Soviet cinema.

Addition of Majors/Minors
Two students became Russian minors this semester.  Interest expressed by two
students (one of whom is in a course in translation) suggests that more students may
declare Russian minors next year.

Recruitment Efforts
I have put Russian fonts on the computers in the language lab and encouraged
students to use web resources in Russian.  This semester I have organized monthly
conversation hours and two celebratory gatherings to cultivate student interest in
Russian.  The conversation hours appeal more to those students at the advanced
language level while the gatherings are designed to attract students interested in
Russian language or in Russian area studies.  We had as many as ten students at
these gatherings.

Proposed Plans for 2003-4
The Russian section continues its efforts to appeal to majors in related disciplines by
offering a course in translation on Russian women's literature for the first time in fall
2003.  Advertising efforts are already under way to ensure adequate enrollment in
the course.  In the spring of 2004, the course on twentieth-century Russian literature
in translation will be scheduled.

I am working on revising the third-year Russian language courses so that they are
organized according to topics, e.g., grammar, conversation, and composition.  This
will enable the section both to support the third-year language courses when
warranted by sufficient student interest and to maintain a logical sequence to the
offering of these advanced language courses.  Furthermore, in an effort to boost
enrollments in the courses in translation, I will try to make the courses on Russian/
Soviet Cinema and Twentieth-Century Russian Women's Literature a permanent
part of the course offerings of the Russian Section

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                  http://home.attbi.com/~lists/seelangs/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------