sovay: (Haruspex: Autumn War)
sovay ([personal profile] sovay) wrote2010-02-24 12:12 am
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Electricity and trash

The good news: Jacques Tati's Mon Oncle (1958) was worth going out in the eventual freezing rain to see (as was the unexpected short feature, Cours du soir (1967), essentially a masterclass in mime—I have never seen anyone so convincingly fail to hold on to an nonexistent fish), and we're going back on Saturday for Playtime (1967).

The bad news:

A report by the Brandeis school of arts and sciences proposed that the university scrap graduate programs in anthropology and theater design and reduce the number of university-sponsored doctoral students in computer science and chemistry. Undergraduates would be affected, as well, with the proposed elimination of Italian studies and Hebrew majors . . . Ten of the faculty positions would be cut from the sciences by eliminating the teaching and research of chemical dynamics, immunology, radio astronomy, and combinatorics, a branch of mathematics . . . In addition to fewer majors to choose from, undergraduates would no longer be able to minor in Yiddish, East European Jewish culture, or Internet studies. Those courses will still be offered but less frequently, Jaffe said.

Because evidently neither theater arts, nor Yiddish, nor Hebrew is essential to a Jewish liberal arts university. (And radio astronomy is fighting words with me.) O my alma mater, stop embarrassing my degree!
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[identity profile] asakiyume.livejournal.com 2010-02-24 05:15 am (UTC)(link)
I really can't see how they can possibly think of cutting Yiddish and Hebrew. I think they're trying to scare monied alumni into donating? Pretty sad, all the same....

[identity profile] ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com 2010-02-24 06:37 am (UTC)(link)
I'm delighted that the movie was good, but very sorry about the persistent imbecility of the administration at your alma mater.

[identity profile] steepholm.livejournal.com 2010-02-24 08:12 am (UTC)(link)
Sounds as if the admin at Brandeis are giving a masterclass in holding on to non-existent fish themselves. Darn. It's a familiar story on this side of the Atlantic, but I'm sorry to hear of similar things happening there.

[identity profile] debka-notion.livejournal.com 2010-02-24 01:02 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm confused as to how a university that is significantly known for its Judaic Studies department is thinking about cutting parts of that department. Also, it isn't like there's a great abundance of Yiddish classes as it is- when I was there, in order to minor in Yiddish, I think at least one independent study was necessary just to fulfill the requirements... This didn't work with trying to cut classics, so now why are they trying it with other things?
zdenka: Miriam with a tambourine, text "I will sing." (librarian)

[personal profile] zdenka 2010-02-24 02:30 pm (UTC)(link)
No, Brandeis. You should not do this thing. :-(

[identity profile] strange-selkie.livejournal.com 2010-02-24 04:57 pm (UTC)(link)
*backs up* WHAT?

They didn't learn from the Rose/the classics department/any of that? The National Archive of Jewish Film is AT Brandeis. *sigh*

At least, if it's any comfort, Susan and her gf have met Tirian.

It didn't go well for Tirian.

[identity profile] rax.livejournal.com 2010-02-24 05:18 pm (UTC)(link)
This definitely makes me less excited about the PhD application I am still waiting for a response from Brandeis on. I hope they minimize their cuts and get things stable...
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