LINGUIST List 5.176

Fri 18 Feb 1994

FYI: Support for linguistics program at BGU, Israel

Editor for this issue: <>

Directory

1. nomi shir, Support for linguistics program at BGU, Israel.

 Department of Foreign Literatures and Linguistics
 Ben Gurion University of the Negev
 P.O.Box 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel.
 Tel: 972-7-461129
 Fax: 972-7-281340
 e-mail: SHIRBGUMAIL.bgu.ac.il

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

I am turning to colleagues throughout the world with a request to
write a letter in support of our department, as we face an
extremely unpleasant and unfortunate situation. An unsupportive
administration appears to be on the verge of suggesting severe cuts
and perhaps even the closure of our department. This threat is
posed despite our distinguished, collective professional record and
loyal service to the University, i.e., outstanding and frequent
publications, numerous competitive research grants and prestigious
fellowships, excellence in teaching, solid enrollment statistics,
placement of our graduates in top graduate programs and in
employment sectors contributing to the educational needs of our
country, and the organizing and hosting of numerous national and
international conferences of high academic quality. We are facing
an untenable situation, in which the continued existence of our
department is in jeopardy.

I will be grateful if you would write a letter, addressed to me, in
support of our department, emphasizing such points as the
importance of our programs, the academic standing and the
professional contributions of our faculty, our courses and
teaching, and your impression of the level of our students. Please
indicate your position in the profession and any relationship to
our department that you may have.

Every letter from you, our colleagues, including suggestions you
may have, will be extremely valuable to us in our meetings with the
administration and a planned academic review committee which we
hope will be effective.

I regret having to take up your time with this request, but the
gravity of our situation warrants it. The department has prepared
a package of materials describing the department which will be sent
to you should you wish it.

Thank you for any support you can give us.

Sincerely,

Dr. Haim Finkelstein
Chair

(On behalf of: Gerda Elata, Nomi Erteschik-Shir, Mark Gelber,
Hanita Goodblatt, Feodor Mauler, Carol Troen, Tova Rapoport, Efraim
Sicher, Karina Wilkinson)