Today: Nov 14, 2024

SGA works toward LEP changes

Victoria BresnahanNews Editor

A letter is being drafted on behalf of Student Government Association President Alexis Zhitomi to state the group’s position on the Liberal Education Policy’s foreign language requirement.

For several years, SGA has been working toward revising the foreign language requirement and certain barriers a distinct major may face.

Zhitomi said, at last week’s meeting, however, the group’s focus will now shift primarily to the foreign language requirement.

“We are taking it obviously one step at a time, and we found it best that we move forward with the world language requirement because we kind of know where we want to be at,” she said.

Currently, students must complete a 200 level of a world language—which could take three semesters—or pass the STAMP exam, which measures language proficiency. An online placement test must be taken by students who have completed two or more years in high school, unless they are proficient, according to the university’s website.

Their goal for the revision for the requirements, which will be addressed to faculty, staff and administration through this letter, will be to make the foreign language requirement similar to other CSCU system institutions, Zhitomi said.

The foreign language requirement of the sister schools is set at completing three years of a language in high school with a “C” letter grade or better, or two semesters of a language in college.

“It reduces the requirement in our university but also allows students that have been taking a language in high school- I know some even start in elementary school [at the] earliest,” she said. “It allows them to kind of come into Southern without having to take that requirement at all because they have done it already in years before.”

Vice President of the Board of Academic Experience Brooke Mercaldi said the group is currently planning next steps in SGA’s efforts to encourage the university to change the requirements.

Currently, the board is looking to “make the conversation more public,” Mercaldi said. No plan has been established yet.

In addition, the BOAE is working on a survey to send out to recent alumni to garner their opinion on the foreign language requirement.

Mercaldi said the survey will be sent out this week.

Photo Credit: August Pelliccio

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