UC Davis ranks among the top five universities in terms of total number of international students.
These numbers may be in jeopardy. The Budget Advisory Subcommittee on Instruction and Research put forth several proposals for the restructuring of the English as a Second Language Program in an effort to save approximately $475,000.
The ESL program is designed to help acclimate international students to the life of an American college student by helping them learn English and introducing them to the skills needed to do research.
However, these opportunities might not be available in the near future. Two of the possible solutions are the outsourcing of courses for undergraduates to community colleges and incorporating courses with the University Extension or Summer Sessions.
While it may be easy for students who know the ins and outs of Northern California to get on the Yolo Bus 42A to Sacramento or drive a car to the Bay Area, it may not be possible for international students to do the same.
Another issue with these cuts is that ESL department officials claim these programs and lecturers will come back shortly after the cuts.
Historically, this hasn’t turned out to be the case. Once programs like this are cut, they are likely to be gone for good. Basically, it is a 10-year problem, not a two-year one.
The issue of international students’ fees also plays in the mix. They pay the full cost to go here and deserve all the resources they need to feel comfortable.
Chancellor Linda Katehi says she wants UC Davis to be an internationally recognized university. In order for this to be accomplished we need to continue to attract international students who want a UC education, not send them off to Sac City or Woodland Community College.
The bottom line is with a total savings of about $500,000 the cuts are not worth it. We need to find somewhere else to cut that doesn’t affect our reputation as a renowned international university.
In other words, we cannot afford to save this money.
