By Louise Cripps, Investigations Editor
Disgruntled Modern Languages students have contacted Epigram, protesting untimely unit cuts, inadequate replacements and poor departmental handling of complaints.
Students of the School of Modern Languages were informed in late August, that their originally allocated options for the 2018-2019 academic year have been removed, following the loss of a number of staff. The department responded by appointing new faculty who provided different modules for students to select.
A number of students however, have criticised these replacement units, deeming them unequal substitutes for their original choices. One student French and German student objected ‘the worst thing was that the ones lost were good ones’ while another argued, ‘they just weren’t as interesting as my original options’.
There have also been complaints of sub-par departmental handling of the process. ‘They dealt with it very badly’, a second year French and Italian student claimed. Whilst another, a joint-honours French and German student, described a process of having to ‘scramble for modules left over’. There was also criticism over how the department handled complaints, with one second year arguing that ‘responses were trying to distance the faculty from responsibility’.
Nevertheless, the Head of Modern Languages defended the department in a statement to Epigram. He argued that the faculty responded promptly and effectively, employing new staff ‘who could offer stimulating teaching in similar fields’ and communicating changes ‘as early as possible’ to students. The School is now in fact offering more undergraduate optional modules for 2018-2019 than it previously was in the spring.
The Faculty does however, admit some fault, in the six French or Italian students, who how have not yet been placed in new units. The head of the School described this number as ‘six too many’, adding that he would be happy to talk to these students individually to come to resolutions.
These staff absences come as a number of staff are promoted to other institutions, and others receive research grants which will removed them from teaching for a number of years. The School argues, that these departures demonstrate the success of the department’s staff. ‘Students come to Modern Languages at Bristol because of the great range of research-led modules taught by academics at the cutting edge of their field’.
Featured Image: Louise Cripps, Investigations Editor
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