Taking to Twitter, students sound off on new language requirement

foreign language tweet

December 13, 2017

On the not quite first day of Christmas our university sent to us: a new language requirement.

In what several on Twitter have dubbed an early Christmas gift, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs David Lee announced yesterday, in an email, he had approved a resolution that would allow students to count two years of foreign language study in high school as their modern language requirement.

{{tncms-inline account=”emma” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Merry early Christmas to me 🙏🏼 <a href="https://t.co/eskBnpG7jm">https://t.co/eskBnpG7jm</a>&mdash; emma (@emma_cravens) <a href="https://twitter.com/emma_cravens/status/940971814179737601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/emma_cravens/status/940971814179737601″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”Evan Boggs” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Christmas present from <a href="https://twitter.com/wku?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wku</a> <a href="https://t.co/eaYCcfDp00">pic.twitter.com/eaYCcfDp00</a>&mdash; Evan Boggs (@evantboggs) <a href="https://twitter.com/evantboggs/status/940908181978583040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/evantboggs/status/940908181978583040″ type=”twitter”}}

The resolution changes the requirement that students obtain their world-language credit by passing at least the 102-equivalent of a language course or passing a proficiency test, usually the STAMP Test. The change affects students enrolled through June 2018, and will clear the backlog of 7,000 students still waiting to fulfill their language requirement.

Many students celebrated how their procrastination had seemingly paid off.

{{tncms-inline account=”Abby” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">For once in my life, procrastination pays off and I no longer have to try and pass the STAMP test&mdash; Abby (@abbyblandford) <a href="https://twitter.com/abbyblandford/status/940967431245303808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/abbyblandford/status/940967431245303808″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”Krista Newton” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">For once, procrastinating actually worked in my favor. It’s a Christmas miracle <a href="https://t.co/qV11YG5mmr">https://t.co/qV11YG5mmr</a>&mdash; Krista Newton (@Krista_Newton) <a href="https://twitter.com/Krista_Newton/status/940954689948082176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/Krista_Newton/status/940954689948082176″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”Bailey Townsend” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Friends and family: Bailey, you should really stop procrastinating. It&#39;s bad for you.Me: hahahahaha yeah okay SUUURE IT IS <a href="https://t.co/K4uDcsqpwp">pic.twitter.com/K4uDcsqpwp</a>&mdash; Bailey Townsend (@btownsend10) <a href="https://twitter.com/btownsend10/status/940800755870654464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/btownsend10/status/940800755870654464″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”Lauren Stamps Segers” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Procrastination pays off folks. I&#39;ve been putting off my foreign language class for so long and now it looks like I won&#39;t even have to worry about it ✅✅&mdash; Lauren Stamps Segers (@UnrealAlbeitShe) <a href="https://twitter.com/UnrealAlbeitShe/status/941000869268611072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/UnrealAlbeitShe/status/941000869268611072″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”Sam Porter” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Shoutout to everyone who said you shouldn&#39;t wait until your last semester to take your foreign language. This is so clutch. <a href="https://t.co/vq0dj8O5Zh">https://t.co/vq0dj8O5Zh</a>&mdash; Sam Porter (@SammyP14) <a href="https://twitter.com/SammyP14/status/940773066115895296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/SammyP14/status/940773066115895296″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”Wesley Bayles” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Never before has procrastination benefited me so nicely 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 <a href="https://t.co/QpY2g0rkDQ">https://t.co/QpY2g0rkDQ</a>&mdash; Wesley Bayles (@Wesley_Bayles) <a href="https://twitter.com/Wesley_Bayles/status/940812823407538177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/Wesley_Bayles/status/940812823407538177″ type=”twitter”}}

However, there were some who expressed dissatisfaction with the changes, citing the benefits studying a foreign language offers.

{{tncms-inline account=”Julie Hubbell” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/wku?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wku</a> is really lowering the standard. Instead of implementing systems (like better tutoring and better advising), WKU is going to make the language requirement not a thing? I mean, but the world doesn&#39;t exist out of Kentucky, right?? 🙄&mdash; Julie Hubbell (@julie_hubbell1) <a href="https://twitter.com/julie_hubbell1/status/940987061376610306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/julie_hubbell1/status/940987061376610306″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”Emma Austin” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am so angry!!!! I can&#39;t believe <a href="https://twitter.com/wku?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wku</a> has made everyone learn a foreign language before now!!!! What a waste if you already filled the requirement!!! Can you imagine how horrible it would be if we could communicate with people who DON&#39;T speak English???? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/livid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#livid</a>&mdash; Emma Austin (@emmacaustin) <a href="https://twitter.com/emmacaustin/status/940980347638091776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/emmacaustin/status/940980347638091776″ type=”twitter”}}

Andi Dahmer, Student Government Association president, said, at the University Senate meeting when the resolution was first introduced, she thinks it is important to tell students that many graduate programs require more than a high school level language proficiency.

Dahmer said she also worries that changing one Colonnade requirement might make it easier to change another.

Elizabeth Winkler, a linguistics professor, responding to Lee’s announcement in another email sent to faculty and staff, said “we know that many students come out of high school with international language grades that do not in any way reflect a solid level of competency in the language.”

“In a time when the US desperately needs more bilingual citizens to further our business interests, protect our troops, and help our students prepare for the jobs of the future, making it easy for them to drop out of language programs seems short sighted at best,” Winkler said in the email.

Some students began wondering if they could get a refund for the foreign language classes they had already taken at WKU.

{{tncms-inline account=”Cassidy McCord” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">So uh… can I get my money back or nah? <a href="https://t.co/4fYnvL0OkG">https://t.co/4fYnvL0OkG</a>&mdash; Cassidy McCord (@cassidy_mccord) <a href="https://twitter.com/cassidy_mccord/status/940935437216108544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/cassidy_mccord/status/940935437216108544″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”Autumn Whittle” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m livid because I took Spanish this past semester 🙃 Do I get a refund or something?????? <a href="https://t.co/1XZS5hI9Vb">https://t.co/1XZS5hI9Vb</a>&mdash; Autumn Whittle (@autumndwhittle) <a href="https://twitter.com/autumndwhittle/status/940819913496809477?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/autumndwhittle/status/940819913496809477″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”Skyler Geralds” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">So since WKU is allowing high school foreign language credit, does this mean I get my tuition re-fund for taking French 1 and 2?? 🤔&mdash; Skyler Geralds (@SkylerGeralds) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkylerGeralds/status/940802336317956097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/SkylerGeralds/status/940802336317956097″ type=”twitter”}}

A few students began eyeing their schedules for the coming semesters in anticipation of dropping language courses and adding others in their place.

{{tncms-inline account=”Hannah Estes” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">When your advisor emails you and tells you to drop your winter term Spanish because WKU changed their requirements 😱👏🏼🙌🏼<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sohappyrightnow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sohappyrightnow</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/noforeignlanguage?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#noforeignlanguage</a>&mdash; Hannah Estes (@hestes45) <a href="https://twitter.com/hestes45/status/940794948504440832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/hestes45/status/940794948504440832″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”Carley Jackson” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Need suggestions on the easiest/most interesting class you’ve taken at WKU so that I can remain a full time student next semester <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nomorefrenchforme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nomorefrenchforme</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/procrastinationpaysoff?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#procrastinationpaysoff</a>&mdash; Carley Jackson (@carley_maria) <a href="https://twitter.com/carley_maria/status/940976712468324352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/carley_maria/status/940976712468324352″ type=”twitter”}}

“You may wish to encourage students to consider the benefits of exposure to a world language prior to making their decision,” Lee said in the email announcing the change.

Judging by Twitter, students seemed excited about the new requirement, but some felt like they wasted their time.

{{tncms-inline account=”baby V” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">finding out i no longer have to take Spanish next semester has been the best news ALL YEAR 🎉🎉🎉🎉 thank you WKU!!!&mdash; baby V (@mulatt0girl_) <a href="https://twitter.com/mulatt0girl_/status/940977143311462401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/mulatt0girl_/status/940977143311462401″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”Brooke DeCesare” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Not gonna say I’m mad <a href="https://twitter.com/wku?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wku</a> but I put a lot of time, sweat, and mostly tears into those 2 semesters of French class my freshman year… <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/maybealittlemad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#maybealittlemad</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/itsfine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#itsfine</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/everythingsfine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#everythingsfine</a>&mdash; Brooke DeCesare (@brooke_decesare) <a href="https://twitter.com/brooke_decesare/status/940956433486700544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/brooke_decesare/status/940956433486700544″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”Whitney” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Just add foreign language to the list of classes that wku has made me take that don&#39;t actually count for anything. 🙂&mdash; Whitney (@wags2015) <a href="https://twitter.com/wags2015/status/940914160690520064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/wags2015/status/940914160690520064″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”Parris Criscillis” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m pissed <a href="https://t.co/IVE79Bea5t">https://t.co/IVE79Bea5t</a>&mdash; Parris Criscillis (@parrrris_) <a href="https://twitter.com/parrrris_/status/940961998715662336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/parrrris_/status/940961998715662336″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”cass❥” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Bless WKU for getting rid of the foreign language requirement.&mdash; cass❥ (@cassiechase_) <a href="https://twitter.com/cassiechase_/status/940827141515763713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/cassiechase_/status/940827141515763713″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”Tristan Ludlow” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WKU coming in clutch with this high school foreign language proficiency!&mdash; Tristan Ludlow (@jared_weddle) <a href="https://twitter.com/jared_weddle/status/940788428068872192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2017</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/jared_weddle/status/940788428068872192″ type=”twitter”}}

If you would like to express your opinion about the updated language requirement, we highly encourage you to submit a letter to the editor.