Save the Language at IU!

IU prides itself on teaching "over 70 languages—that's more than any university in the United States." For nearly two centuries, foreign languages have been an integral part of Indiana University's identity. Since the 1950s, with the creation of the Summer Language Workshop, IU has pioneered in the instruction of less commonly taught languages,  training more than 10,000 students in approximately 50 languages. Foreign language instruction was indeed at the center of President Herman B Wells' vision for IU as a globally recognized university, and it was instrumental in fulfilling his aspirations to "bring the world to Indiana and Indiana to the world."

Foreign language skills are more important than ever in a globalized world largely defined by intercultural exchange and communication. In a global economy characterized by the rise of a diversity of languages (in particular Hindi, Mandarin, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Arabic), proficiency in more than one language is critical for success. Businesses, institutions, and organizations--whether in health care, international relations, finance, education, IT, national security, NGOs, environment, sales, customer service, marketing, and management) are acknowledging this fact: 9 out of 10 U.S. employers rely on employees with language skills other than English, and 56% say their foreign language demand will increase in the next five years. In this connection, IU has recently been ranked among "the 50 best colleges for long-term career success in the U.S." by Linkedin, with "Foreign Languages" mentionned among the "most notable skills."

Despite these facts, to comply with the state budget bill HEA 1001, Indiana University has voluntarily decided to eliminate, suspend or merge 245 degree programs, threatening the teaching of up to 50 languages other than English. Already IU is eliminating the only American Sign Language interpreting program at a public university in Indiana, and has just announced the discontinuation of the Indiana University Honors Program in Foreign Languages; a language immersion program for Indiana high school students which, over more than sixty years, has generated transformative experiences and shaped the course of many Hoosiers' lives.

This is very concerning news, indeed. But know that we, the language instructors at IU, are not planning to go anywhere, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that every student is able to study one or several of the more than eighty languages that are currently taught at our university.

But we need your help! Please let the IU President, the Board of Trustees, and the Indiana Governor know how important studying languages other than English is to you. Please sign and ask your friends, teachers, parents and other relatives to sign in order to SAVE THE LANGUAGES AT IU! Please also comment on why you have chosen to study one or several languages.

Thank you!