Russian Studies programs

[Kenneth E Udut]

[...]
> There is one skillset widely prized throughout the job marketplace,
> and that is
> computer literacy, the ability to sit down at any computer and
> figure out how
> to do what you need to do.  At a minimum, employers want people who
> can deal in
> the various subdivisions of MSOffice:  Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and
> -- as a
> bonus -- Access.  A wide range of applications fans out from this
> central
> suite.  If we really wanted to make our students work-ready, we'd
> set up a
> curriculum which encourages them to use more types of software than
> just the
> word processor, without necessarily changing any of the content we
> touch upon.

This is very true.  You can do *many* jobs -
even jobs that you could care less about,
getting varying rates of pay, if you learn
competence in the Microsoft Office suite.

As an added bonus, learn a little macro-making
and Visual Basic for
Applications, and you can get hired at
any medium to large company.

Of course, if universities and colleges
do that, humanities (the well-rounded individual
human being is king and queen) - that crazy
religion of schools and universities everywhere -
will certainly fall victim to the latest booming
religion - the religion of commerce,
efficiency, marketability, utilitarianism -
and colleges and unversities will certainly
become Trade Schools - which may not be
a bad thing in the short run - but in the long
run, who knows?

The god of the "bottom-line" is gaining power
over universities and colleges, at least in
the United States it seems, and, like
the Invisible Hand of economic theory,
may push Slavists out the door if there
is no adapting.

[and this way, the beloved philologist
will still have a home, and purpose].

-Kenneth

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