The University has recently terminated on-campus instruction in Dutch, Swedish and Turkish, as well as an English as a Second Language writing course titled English for Academic Purposes. Given President Skorton’s March 26 comments advocating cautiousness when eliminating programs that attract new students, these cuts denote nothing less than a broken promise.

Lately, many staff cuts have been justified as necessary to insulate students’ academic options from the repercussions of the budget crunch, but these course cuts suggest otherwise. Although staff and program reductions are inevitable, by first announcing that jobs were sacrificed for the sake of academics, and then watching courses get cut wholesale, makes us skeptical.

To the Editor:

Re: “Future Turkish Classes Available Only on Video,” News, April 15.

Correction Appended

This is the second article in a two-part series which focuses on Cornell’s decision to phase out language programs in an attempt to reduce the University’s budget.