By Lian Bunny
Photo Editor
C’est la vie, as the French would say. That’s life.
St. Bonaventure’s faculty senate recently agreed to a proposal, suspending the French major and modern languages major.
The modern languages department suggested the change, according to David Hilmey, dean of the School of Arts & Sciences. Incoming students will not be able to declare French or modern languages majors as of fall of 2017.
Hilmey stressed the majors are suspended, not permanently discontinued. However, he said there are no current plans to bring back the majors.
Guy Imhoff, a French professor and interim dean of Clare College, said this change is largely due to decreased enrollment.
“When I came here 12 years ago, I used to keep two sections of 200-level classes,” he said. “Today, I only have one section. In 201 this past fall, I only had 15 students. Yes, it’s slowly been declining.”
Imhoff said eliminating the French major will not affect faculty in the modern languages department. Because of the language requirements on campus, professors will still teach the same number of sections.
Hilmey said the French minor, and Spanish major and minor are staying.
The modern language department hopes to attract students through some new minors, according to Imhoff. A French studies minor and Spanish studies minor would allow students to take lower level language classes and upper level classes in English.
He said French studies minors could possibly go abroad to fulfill their English upper level classes.
Imhoff also said the modern languages department hopes to have the proposal for the minors in by March. The faculty senate has to approve it for the fall 2017 semester.
Emily Rosman, a senior journalism and French double major, said she doesn’t support suspending the French major.
“I think the French department has a good program in place to learn both the language and history,” she said. “I chose French as a major to learn the language and take various courses supporting French history. I think making French into a minor would weaken the program and make students less likely to choose French as a language.”
Peter Bertoldo, a senior French and Spanish double major, said eliminating the French major makes sense but is disappointing.
“I applaud the modern languages department for making the best out of a bad situation, but I would also ask that those in the administration consider the aim of our university: to provide a quality liberal arts education for its students,” he said.
Bertoldo also said he is concerned Bonaventure has too few options for courses in grammar and composition.
Hilmey said Imhoff and other faculty members have done a good job with the French program, but they determined eliminating the majors is best for the department.
“Any time you are going to discontinue or suspend, it’s a disappointment,” Hilmey said. “It hurts. So, I’m not pleased with this, but it is the reality of the situation that we’re dealing with.”
bunnyla13@bonaventure.edu
