S.16-4 A Resolution Calling For Hindi-Urdu to be offered at Tufts University
WHEREAS the populations of India and Pakistan are growing at an annual rate of 1.2 and 2.1 percent, respectively;[1]
WHEREAS Hindi-Urdu is the most spoken language after English, Spanish, and Mandarin and has approximately 330 million speakers worldwide;[2]
WHEREAS the Tufts University Strategic Plan states that “Tufts has renewed and reinvigorated its commitment to engaging with community issues of diversity and inclusion, infusing the actions of the university with global perspectives and relevance”;[3]
WHEREAS many of Tufts University’s peer institutions including Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, University of Pennsylvania, and Washington University in St. Louis currently offer Hindi or Hindi-Urdu;
WHEREAS the Tufts International Relations major offers a thematic concentration in Middle East and South Asia, for which Arabic and Hebrew are the only available regionally applicable languages;
WHEREAS Tufts University offers 23 courses across academic disciplines that a Hindi-Urducurriculum would complement, including “Contemporary South Asia,” “Gender and Sexuality in South Asia,” “Indian Philosophies,” and “Political Economy of India”;[4]
WHEREAS introductory coursework in Hindi-Urdu has been offered before multiple times through the Experimental College thereby demonstrating consistent demand;[5]
WHEREAS according to a February-March 2016 South Asian Political Action Committee (SAPAC) survey, in which 219 students responded, 74% stated they are moderately to extremely interested in taking Hindi-Urdu;[6]
WHEREAS there is interest in Hindi-Urdu from students across academic disciplines including International Relations, Economics, Community Health, Political Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering;
WHEREAS there is interest in Hindi-Urdu from students at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and other graduate programs;
WHEREAS 48% of respondents stated they would enroll in the language and 47% of respondents stated they might enroll in the language if it were offered next fall semester;
WHEREAS 62% of respondents stated they would have taken the language had it been offered upon matriculation;
WHEREAS 87% of respondents stated that regardless of their personal interest level, it is extremely or very important for a school like Tufts to offer Hindi-Urdu;
WHEREAS 73% of respondents interested in taking the language are not willing to cross-register at Boston University under the existing consortium agreement;[7]
WHEREAS 35% of respondents already have some competency of Hindi-Urdu ranging from elementary to native or bilingual proficiency;
WHEREAS there is substantial interest in Hindi-Urdu across the undergraduate student body with 39% of respondents from the Class of 2018, 23% from the Class of 2017, and 23% from the Class of 2019; therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED that Tufts University offer courses in Hindi-Urdu on the Medford/Somerville campus;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Dean of Undergraduate Arts and Sciences commit to find funding for the creation of a Hindi-Urdu language program;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literatures (GRALL) Department host Hindi-Urdu courses within their department;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Tufts University commit to offering sufficient coursework relating to South Asia that reflects current global socio-political conditions;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Tufts University commit to providing greater academic support and opportunities for South Asian students on campus.
Respectfully submitted by Hershel Tamboli, A18, Benya Kraus, A18, and RatiSrinivasan A18 on March 13, 2016.
PASSED 29-0-0
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[6] pdf.com/ViewPDFFile.aspx?file=
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