Russian language enrollement

[Klawa Thresher]

Dear Kathleen,

First of all, congratulations on what you have accomplished, and best of luck to you in the future.  I had a somewhat similar experience, coming into a program that people did not think was worth saving - and after ten years and four different deans, my position has now become tenured.  I am looking forward to building an even stronger program, and in reading your message (it was saved all this time in a file!) I was struck by your numbers in the second and third year courses, and was wondering if you have any comments about your wonderful persistence rate.  I have often consoled myself about our numbers by reminding myself that the attrition rate between levels averages about 50%.  It seems that you do much better than this and I am wondering how you do it?  Again, congratulations and wishes for continued success.

Best,
Klawa Thresher

-----Original Message-----
From: kathleen ahern [mailto:k_ahern at UNCG.EDU]
Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2003 3:01 PM
To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Russian language enrollement


The University of North Carolina at Greensboro has been fighting the
enrollment battle for several years. I agree that small departments
have a difficult task ahead in these times of enrollment driven
administrative decisions. When I was hired full-time (non tenure track)
in 1999 (to replace a retiring tenured professor) I was told by our
administration that while it was nice I wanted to make an effort to
increase enrollments, Russian Studies at UNCG was on the decline and
it was unlikely there would ever be much growth, much less a tenure
track appointment. Our enrollments have been low, but have held
steady. I have 12 students in the first year course, about the same
in a second year course, and we had 9 students in third year this
fall, but only 3 in that group this spring.

I have just begun a tenure track appointment here this year, we have
hired two part time instructors who have excellent credentials. We are
moving ahead to improve our Russian Studies program, which is one of
our strengths. Our courses taught in English have also helped us to
stave off severe criticism and all three instructors are teaching in
broad university programs (Freshman Seminars and Residential College)
to increase awareness of Russian language and culture on campus.

Finally, one of the greatest assets I think we have is the very fact
that we ARE a small department. Students who enroll in Russian at UNCG
feel connected to a community, supported by their faculty, and are
less likely to withdraw from classes and/or fail.

I would encourage anyone who is struggling with these issues to contact
me off list. Best of luck!
----------------------
Kathleen Ahern, PhD
Department of German Russian and Japanese Studies
335 McIver Building
UNCG
PO Box 26170
Greensboro, NC 27402

336-334-5427 telephone
336-334-5885 fax
k_ahern at uncg.edu

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