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International Education MattersA
Forum for Issues Pertaining
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"Shock, outrage' as UC axes program -- No English for foreign students at Extension" Charles Burress, The English language program for foreign students at UC Berkeley Extension -- one of the oldest and most highly regarded such programs in the nation -- is being axed because it doesn't fit the school's changing mission, campus officials said. Instructors and staff members reacted with "shock and outrage," said 14- year program instructor Cliff Stevens. They learned the news when summoned to an unusually early meeting Monday, at 7:30 a.m., with Extension Dean James Sherwood, Stevens said. Professionals in the field also were stunned. "I'm shocked -- it's quite a surprise," said Kelly Franklin, president of the American Association of Intensive English Programs. The 31-year-old Berkeley program, which will end May 7, provides English instruction to students from all over the world. One of the oldest in America, it served 2,733 students from 54 countries in 2002. Calls to Sherwood's office Tuesday were referred to the Extension's communications director, Teresa Parker, who said the decision stemmed from a redefinition of the Extension's mission. A Monday letter from Sherwood to the staff said English language programs were now "ubiquitous," unlike 1973 when the Berkeley program started. Under the new "strategic plan," he said, "we will offer international programming that reflects UC Berkeley academic programs and strengths, providing the unique value associated with the finest public institution of higher education in the country." Job loss still unknown It was not clear Tuesday how many people would lose jobs. Calls to Extension officials were all referred to Parker, who said she did not have the information but could probably find it today. Stevens estimated the number of affected instructors as 26 and affected staff as between seven and 10. Nearly all instructors work full-time in the English Language Program, the only Extension program with a full-time teacher corps. He said the program had shown a steady profit, earning $4.69 million in the 2002-03 fiscal year against $2.18 million in expenses. He also said enrollment had grown over the past two years, and he was incredulous that the program was being ended during a state budget crisis. Parker said she did not have financial or enrollment figures Tuesday. "We're all just in a state of shock," said Helen Davaran, director of a private English school in Berkeley, Language Studies International. "They had such a wonderful program." UC Berkeley's program "is considered to have very high quality," said Cindy Ochoa of Belmont, who once directed an English-language school and served on the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation. "It's not just teaching past-progressive tense," said Kimberly Green, an Extension English instructor since 1995. "There is a level of critical thinking on world issues and how these issues intersect that's part of our classes. "It's like an incubator for political diplomacy," she added, noting that many students are potential future leaders from leading colleges around the world. Program review Parker said the review that eliminated the program examined whether programs were "Berkeley appropriate, Berkeley quality. ... The role of the UC Extension is to bring the resources of UC Berkeley to the public at large." Decisions on Extension programs are up to each campus, said a spokesman for the UC systemwide office of the president. A UCLA representative said that campus' Extension program had no plans to curtail its English language courses. E-mail: Charles Burress at cburress@sfchronicle.com. This file was updated on January 30, 2004 |
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