Russian Studies programs

[Marta Sherwood-Pike]

I am only moderately computer literate, but I am an excellent writer, and
proficient in Russian. Do you want to hire me? -Martha Sherwood-

On Sat, 3 Jun 2000, Frank Poulin wrote:

> I supervise a team of test and evaluation engineers and technicians as well
> as computer systems deployment personnel.  Our work requires an
> understanding of switch, router, and server technology (I'm sure most
> readers have heard of Novell, NT, Cisco and Nortel).  These systems are not
> that difficult to understand, given 2 to 3 years of good experience.  They
> are certainly not as difficult as Russian-- even when combined.
>
> What I really prize is the employee who can write well.  It's not too hard
> to find employees, with or without college, who understand the technology,
> in spite of their high salary demands.
>
>  It is difficult, however, if not at times seemingly impossible, to find
> someone who understands the technology "and" can write well.
>
> Because our work involves a great deal of customer interaction (not only in
> developing strategy papers and technical evaluations of new products for the
> customer, but also in working with proposal-writing teams in pursuit of new
> business-- this stuff is extraordinarily fun by the way), any technical
> person who writes well offers our group a big bonus and is often invaluable.
>
> In my opinion, the humanities might be gaining a reputation outside of the
> university as a 4-year long sensitivity-training seminar that sometimes
> seems to border on group therapy.  Just take a look at the weekly US News
> magazine to see what the public reads about the humanities.
>
> Really, I need people who can write well.  I need people who can think for
> themselves.  Promote Slavic Departments as a place where students do not
> just pick up a second language.  Promote Slavic Departments as a place where
> students learn to write well and develop original ideas.  Promote the
> "great" and "universal" works--- Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Pasternak (and add
> something about Goethe, Schopenhauer, and Hegel).  Teach them about Russian
> as well as European history.  Require students to write often.  And by all
> means, avoid this gender and ethnic balkanization that seems to have taken
> over some, if not many, humanities departments.  Lead other departments by
> your example.
>
> I know the above sounds naive, but if US News and other publications were
> praising graduates of humanities departments for strong writing and original
> thinking skills and for their knowledge of the great works of human
> creativity, (rather than belittling their departments and schools for
> wallowing in ethnic and gender-oriented accusations), the reputation of
> humanities departments would be much better than it is today.
>
> Business schools and computer science departments have a lock on the
> technology.  Their professors know this and their professors are confident
> in their mission.  Humanities departments "should", and I repeat "should",
> have a lock on the development of strong writing skills and original
> thinking habits.  But they don't!  And it's becoming more and more apparent
> to those of us on the outside.
>
> Many on this list are professors.  Professors in the humanities need to
> reverse this trend.  And let me add that the generation that went to school
> in the 1950's can't reverse this trend themselves-- they are not superhuman.
> I really need people who can write well and think for themselves.  It's very
> competitive out here.
>
> All the best,
> Frank
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kenneth E Udut <simplify3 at JUNO.COM>
> To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU <SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU>
> Date: Thursday, June 01, 2000 6:36 PM
> Subject: Re: Russian Studies programs
>
>
> >[...]
> >> 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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