ACTR and their program in Moscow

[Dustin H.]

Dear Dr. Rosset,

I did not mean to appear to insult those people. The fact of the
matter is, what the program was then does not necessarily mean that it
is the same now.  I think that is fair enough to say.  Things change.

No, I have not been on ACTR's programs; I have only had the chance to
hear about other peoples' experiences who went on those programs.

In what capacity am I doing this?  I will say this: I'm doing this
since it concerns me that such an organization has caused enough
complaints, and I've heard enough of them.  I have sent ACTR my
concerns and do hope to hear from them.

The students who are on the program also have sent their concerns, but
those concerns appear to have fallen on deaf ears, from what I
understand.  Another concern is simple: why should someone spend their
money on a program if such problems exist, and are possibly not being
resolved?

Yes, there are always going to be some disgruntled students, but
should their voices not be heard because they will potentially put a
tinge on an organization?  Such academic programs are only supposed to
become better and more effective in what they do, I think we'd all
agree.

As far as auditing, I disagree. When I studied abroad in Moscow, it
was explained to the students how to attend classes with Russian
students, because that is what students were provided with and
expected.  Again, to my best knowledge, the students on the Moscow
program were merely told to find the information out by themselves,
and that there's a schedule somewhere in the university.  Yes, it is
easier for American students to enroll and choose their classes,
however, does this mean that those studying abroad should have to do
everything themselves without support?  Again, I do not mean to go on
the offensive, but students did attempt to find this information out;
perhaps they just did not receive the answer they expected.

I will ask that these students once again contact ACTR.  However, if
little or no action is taken, what's to be done?

Best,

Dustin

PS: Thanks!


On Sun, 2 Dec 2007 00:03:34 +0300
 "Dustin H." <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Dear SEELANGers,
>
> I am not exactly sure how to address it, so I wanted to discuss it
>in the
> open

Fair enough, but then please don't appear to insult the people who
responded to your post by reducing our responses to claims that ACTR
is "flawless" -- which nobody claimed, -- or dismissing us as ancients
who went "15-20 years ago." At least two of your responders
identified
themselves as recent participants. I went in 2002, a good friend of
mine
in 2003, and my best student in spring 2007. Is that recent enough ???
We all had experiences that were hardly flawless but nevertheless
great.

> I have several acquaintanes, friends, and colleagues who have dealt
>with ACTR from within the past few years up until the present.

You don't say whether you've been yourself. Are you speaking
only for others, and in what capacity? Of course you can air this
on SEELangs, but why shouldn't you address your comments
to ACTR directly?

> 1) Why were students told to take a long Thanksgiving break, but not
>told
> until approximately one week before Thanksgiving that their visas
>would have
> to be extended (or renewed?) and therefore they would not have their
> passports, which are necessary for travel within Russia?

Some of this may very well depend on the Russian end of things,
and visa bureaucracy is notoriously haphazard. (As a one-time
foreign student in the US, I can tell you hair-raising stories about
the American visa people ...!). Students should expect such problems
to arise, even unexpectedly.
But yes, ACTR should address this issue and respond.

> 2) Why were students told that they could audit courses with Russian
> university students, but at the same time the students were not
>given information on exactly how to do this?

Because if they audit courses they are being treated like Russian
students, who do have to do the legwork themselves. The resident
director is usually better equipped to handle the standard
ACTR program offerings. A student who is planning to audit
courses directly should probably (1) find out about procedures
beforehand, from the US office; (2) ask their instructors for
hints or help, which the instructors may or may not be able to
provide; (3) ask Russian students they've met and (4) expect
that this might -- or might not -- be a considerably more
frustrating process than in the U.S.; American universities
have turned registration into "matriculating for dummies."
By the way, OUR group had a terrific RD who had been living
in Russia, knew absolutely everything and took no prisoners,
but not every one will get that.

(I have no information on job applications).

I do know that one frustration for the Faculty-Grad student
summer programs was the uneven quality of the homestays.
My student, however, got a terrific family four blocks from
Dvortsovaia ploshchad'.

I think people were trying to make the point that sending
out the word that ALL is wrong in ACTR-land, perhaps
based on second-hand information, is fine but completely
ignores the good the organization has done or is doing.
At any rate, you need to address these concerns to ACTR
as well, and they need to come from your informants too.

Great tag line!
-FR

Francoise Rosset
Russian and Russian Studies
Coordinator, German and Russian
Wheaton College
Norton, Massachusetts 02766
Office: (508) 285-3696
FAX: (508) 286-3640




-- 
Dustin Hosseini

"Earth laughs in flowers."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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