S.O.S&D. Cornell: Save Our Swedish and Dutch

  • Author:
    n/a
  • Send To:
    Cornell affiliates
  • Sponsored By:
    Cornell Dutch and Scandinavian Clubs, with the generous co-sponsorship of the Cornell Institute for European Studies
  • More Info at:
Are you the Author?
In this recession, Cornell University is facing the same budget deficits as any other public institution. As a result, university administrators have been forced to make cuts in a number of areas. The most recent wave of cuts has struck both the Dutch and Swedish programs from the Cornell roster, a far-reaching loss that will ultimately be felt in the Cornell community and beyond.

The foremost consequence is the loss of two invaluable and talented lecturers: Chrissy Hosea, Lecturer in Dutch, and Dr. Cecilia Ovesdotter Alm, Lecturer in Swedish. Though both of these teachers are relatively new to Cornell, they have reached out to the Cornell community and, in a short time, reignited interest in their respective programs spanning all of Cornells colleges and beyond. Class enrollment has increased dramatically with the efforts of these lecturers; one introductory class might be composed of an econ major, an architecture student, a premed, a graduate student in Early American Studies from another Ivy League, and even a tenured professor interested in the language.

Under the supervision of Chrissy and Cecilia, the Dutch and Scandinavian clubs have hosted a number of cultural events drawing people to the Cornell campus from across the country. The cancellation will further affect students in non-language courses related to the cancelled programs, such as ENGL 3080: Icelandic Family Sagas and ARTH 2419: Rembrandt and His Circle: Technologies of Vision.

Yet the loss is not felt only in the academic arena. The research grants and federal dollars brought in by students of these languages amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Ultimately, the cancellation of both programs is a short-sighted decision on the part of the administrators, resulting in a total savings of only $90,000 per year. Compare this to the $14 million recently allotted for construction of the new Milstein Hall.

Dutch and Swedish are not widely taught languages; a Dutch program, for instance, is featured at only 15 universities in the U.S. and Canada combined. These valuable programs, by their very existence, contribute to the cultural breadth of Cornells student body, and undeniably draw students from other universities.

We, the undersigned, petition that the College of Arts and Sciences reconsider the short-sighted decision to terminate the Dutch and Swedish programs.

437 Signatures

  • Mathieu van Vliet
    • NetID or Email
    • mfv4
    • Comments
    • В
  • Lawrence
    • NetID or Email
    • biglarboy@aol.com
    • Comments
    • В
  • Elizabeth Beukenkamp
    • NetID or Email
    • ebeukenkamp@gmail.com
    • Comments
    • В
  • Corinne Brenner
    • NetID or Email
    • cjb69
    • Comments
    • I am currently applying for a Fulbright Grant to go to the Netherlands, as well as applying to Dutch Grad schools. Dutch at Cornell frankly changed my life for the better.
  • Christian Polman
    • NetID or Email
    • cep29
  • Upik Djalins
    • NetID or Email
    • ud23
    • Comments
    • Cornell can't claim to be the center of excellence for Indonesian studies without Dutch language course.
  • Barry Beagen
    • NetID or Email
    • bb379
    • Comments
    • It is the right for students to be able to learn anything they want. Besides, there are available funds out there that could be channeled into education rather than something. The University needs to prioritize.
  • Richardson H. Kilis
    • NetID or Email
    • rhk22
    • Comments
    • The learning of Dutch language is an important tool in studies of historical Indonesia, a former Dutch colony. Cornell boasts in having one of the few research institutions on Southeast Asia funded by the U.S. Department of Education and has historically been a pioneer in Indonesian studies. The elimination of Dutch language programs will hamper future research by Indonesia specialists at Cornell who wish to master the language in order to understand Indonesia's political development.
  • Kevin Chung
    • NetID or Email
    • kc462
    • Comments
    • Many cities in the Netherlands are exceptional examples of regional planning and sustainable growth. As a City & Regional Planning Student, I have been taking Dutch so that I can study in the country over the summer and learn how American cities can advantageously learn from cities in the Netherlands. While many people in the Netherlands speak English, especially in urban areas, much of the policymaking that I would like to observe is still done in Dutch.
  • David Mahler
    • NetID or Email
    • dsm39
    • Comments
    • Dutch was one of the things I loved about Cornell
  • Cody Corliss LAW '09
    • NetID or Email
    • crc37
    • Comments
    • The Dutch language program is a stand-out program and one of my best academic memories during the three years I spent at Cornell Law School. If the program is cut, I see no reason to continue giving to the university in the future.
  • Johannes Hultberg
    • NetID or Email
    • pjh89@cornell.edu
  • Michelle Hsu
    • NetID or Email
    • mh6969@cornelle.edu
  • Kaisa Kaakinen
    • NetID or Email
    • krk27
    • Comments
    • В
  • Khalid Hadeed
    • NetID or Email
    • kwh9
  • Kavita Singh
    • NetID or Email
    • kas379
    • Comments
    • В
  • K.E. Bдttig von Wittelsbach
    • NetID or Email
    • wittelsbach@cornell.edu
  • Shelina Gautama
    • NetID or Email
    • sg544@cornell.edu
  • Helen Tian
    • NetID or Email
    • hmt28
    • Comments
    • В
  • Abdullah Fahrizal Siddik
    • NetID or Email
    • as546@cornell.edu
    • Comments
    • В
  • Trancik, Lena
    • NetID or Email
    • lgt2@cornell.edu
    • Comments
    • As the founder of the Swedish program, I am of course a strong supporter of its continuation. At the peak of the program as many as 40 students per semester were enrolled. Students often mentioned that part of their decision to come to Cornell was the many foreign languages offered.
  • Katrina Cronburg
    • NetID or Email
    • klc73
    • Comments
    • В
  • Patrick Foley
    • NetID or Email
    • prf8
  • Thomas D. Hill
    • NetID or Email
    • tdh1
  • Sarah Koblick
    • NetID or Email
    • sbk65
    • Comments
    • В
  • Prof. Beverly Allen
    • NetID or Email
    • ballen@syr.edu
    • Comments
    • I was honored to attend a remarkable one-day interdisciplinary symposium on Sweden and Scandinavia this fall, one of the best symposia I have ever attended. Cornell University would do well to rededicate support to the Swedish and Dutch program; you have an internationally-respected resource here.
  • PETER I HANSEN
    • NetID or Email
    • pih8
    • Comments
    • В
  • M. Dimmick
    • NetID or Email
    • med233
  • Malin Bergenstrahle
    • NetID or Email
    • mb789@cornell.edu
  • Marijke Schouten
    • NetID or Email
    • mgs84
    • Comments
    • Please rethink the decision, thank you!!!
  • Ali Arvanaghi
    • NetID or Email
    • aka24
  • Jennifer Erickson
    • NetID or Email
    • jle33
  • Mary Godec
    • NetID or Email
    • meg256
    • Comments
    • The Dutch classes I took with Chrissy and Martijna are the most enjoyable credits I've earned in the span of my academic career. I owe the program big time, and would be devastated to see it cancelled to the detriment of future Cornell students.
  • Yulianto Mohsin
    • NetID or Email
    • ysm5
    • Comments
    • The Dutch Language is a vital language to learn and master for students of Indonesia Studies and those who are affiliated with the Southeast Asia Program in general. Please save this language program.
  • Withheld
    • NetID or Email
    • Kree
    • Comments
    • SAVE THE PROGRAM!
  • Klas Molde
    • NetID or Email
    • km393
  • Laurie Hart
    • NetID or Email
    • lah32@cornell.edu
    • Comments
    • alumna and musician who has played for Cornell's Swedish cultural programs
  • Lucas Fuess
    • NetID or Email
    • lcf34
    • Comments
    • В
  • Paul Flaig
    • NetID or Email
    • pff5
    • Comments
    • В
  • Julia A Capozza
    • NetID or Email
    • Jcapozz1
    • Comments
    • I took Intermediate Swedish at Cornell as an Exchange student from Ithaca College
  • William N. McCaffrey
    • NetID or Email
    • wnm3
    • Comments
    • if it aint dutch, it aint much!
  • Marc Dominianni
    • NetID or Email
    • mkd62
  • Elissa Downs
    • NetID or Email
    • emd24
  • Mayrav Weiss
    • NetID or Email
    • mew233
    • Comments
    • В
  • Jamie H. Trnka
    • NetID or Email
    • jht9
    • Comments
    • As a both Cornell alum and an Assistant Professor of World Languages and Cultures at another university, I am extremely troubled by Cornell's decision to cut less commonly taught languages from the curriculum.
  • Erik Thorgersen
    • NetID or Email
    • emt36
  • Elaine Guidero
    • NetID or Email
    • emg34
    • Comments
    • "Shortsighted" is the best way to describe this. The Dutch program does not cost that much compared to many money-bleeding programs that Cornell continues to cling to---such as mentioned, the exorbitantly costly buildings. Cornell can do better than to axe the Dutch program. $90,000 can be dug out of the endowment to allow a gem of the College of A&S to survive. Cornell can not claim to live up to their supposed motto, and should strike it from all official communication, as one can no longer study any program here. To close down a department such as this, a department that offers unique and interesting classes that can hardly be found elsewhere, is truly a black spot upon the face of Cornell's arts and humanities program.
  • Durga Bor
    • NetID or Email
    • nsj1
    • Comments
    • Dutch is a language very much alive, in Holland, the Dutch Antillies and in Surinam. Given the Dutch role in history, there are many important and historic documents and journals written in Dutch that could seriously aid the research of some of our students. Cutting costs like this makes no sense, because Cornell is also cutting a valuable resource.
  • Kathleen Walkley
    • NetID or Email
    • krw38
    • Comments
    • В
  • Anders Ryd
    • NetID or Email
    • ar322