By Joe Zimbler, Guest Columnist
In the summer of 2022, I traveled to Israel and Palestine, where I spoke with refugees, government officials, NGOs and others about the conflict. I swear, I’m going somewhere with this.
After the trip, I knew I wanted my future to be in the region, working on this and other intractable conflicts and problems people face. As soon as I could, I enrolled in my first Arabic class. But this fall, I was surprised to learn that there was no Arabic 201.
According to the new rules, for there to be a full class (and teachers to get full pay) there must be six students.
In a school of only 2,800 students, finding six students that agree on what Student Senate should use their 10k budget on (a stairmaster, swings, menstrual products?) is difficult enough. Now try and find six students willing to take intermediate Arabic.
Since I really want to continue learning the language, I pay a tutor out of my pocket, who I meet with twice a week on Zoom. I pay thousands of dollars to attend this school, but still, I must outsource my education. But low and behold, the school has decided that, regardless of the repeated claims of budget issues, the solution to our problems is to make a school-run bar and beer garden.
Now, mind you, if someone is offering free alcohol, I will be consuming, but buying alcohol is much easier than buying an Arabic teacher. The fact that my tuition is going to students’ alcohol instead frustrates me.
If I want beer, I can just go to Beer Mart. Unfortunately, Arabic teachers aren’t sold in a six pack. With all the other cuts that have occurred over the past couple of years (RIP Gettysburg Review), wasting college money on a beer garden is a slap in the face to the students here.
March 5, 2025
Informative and entertaining.
Is there Hebrew class? Close enough?
Another alternative: Save money, transfer to less expensive school.