National Security Language Initiative

[Mansour, L. DR DFL]

Jolanta Davis' question deserves a comprehensive reply.  Regarding just
one aspect-- changes in undergraduate officer training at West Point: 
1- many if not all cadets will likely soon have once again a two-year
language requirement, regardless of the level at which they entered the
school.
2- indications are that first-year will soon be taught five
meetings/week as opposed to roughly three.
3- semester-long study-abroad slots for Russian majors will have gone
from zero to two this coming year to six in the next.

Cadets choose which language they study.  
1- Russian enrollment is steady in first year at around 75 cadets;
2- number of Russian MAJORS, though, has doubled to a high of 22/year;
3- quality of the students taking Russian is increasing, especially
among majors.
Money doesn't solve all problems.  But our experience is that increased
funding COUPLED WITH institutional support for language immersion
opportunities is necessary for real improvement in the national language
picture.
Larry Mansour
USMA Russian
Lawrence.mansour at usma.edu
845-938-4349


-----Original Message-----
From: Slavic & East European Languages and Literature list
[mailto:SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] On Behalf Of NewsNet
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 9:55 AM
To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
Subject: [SEELANGS] National Security Language Initiative

I'm surprised SEELANGers are not discussing the new National Security 
Language Initiative, especially that after all one of the languages 
mentioned as "critical" was Russian. Here's more information:

http://www.state.gov/g/rls/rm/2005/58737.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/06/politics/06language.html?emc=eta1
http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/Index.cfm?pageID=4249

Also, yesterday's NPR On Point show devoted one hour to this topic.
http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2006/01/20060110_b_main.asp

Will all of it mean higher enrollments in Russian language courses and
the 
resurrection of the regional studies? I'd be curious to hear what this 
community has to say about that.

Jolanta

Jolanta M. Davis
NewsNet Editor and Publications Coordinator
American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies (AAASS)
8 Story Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
tel.: 617-495-0679
fax: 617-495-0680
Web site: www.aaass.org 

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