While reading Matthew Bettinger's '05 article, "Faculty reductions proposed" in the Jan. 28 issue of the Justice, I became very upset and disturbed by some of the content. Although I understand that the Brandeis budget is in crisis now, I am not confident that the University's approach to solving this problem is reasonable. According to Dean of Arts and Sciences Jessie Ann Owens, many of the reductions will come from the academic budget, especially in the School of Arts and Sciences. Owens explained there may be a reduction in courses offered next year. While eliminating some classes may be necessary in this time of economical turmoil, I am perturbed at Owens' assumption that she, along with other administrators, can decide which courses are expendable.

Owens said of the potential cuts, "They're courses that I thought wouldn't damage the Brandeis experience if they weren't offered." It is comforting that Owens does not want to ruin the student's experience at college, but frankly I am uncomfortable with some administrator deciding what is and is not essential to my education. The assumption that anyone other than a student can decide what courses will mold and improve one's college experience is appalling and inexcusable.

As an example of my point, let me share a brief anecdote. A senior at Brandeis is excited and nervous about her quickly approaching graduation day. As she is wallowing in self-pity about the poor job market and how she will never find a job, she takes a breath and begins to reminisce about the "good old days"-- her first two years, of course. As a History and American Studies major, she has many wonderful memories of lectures, films, professors, papers and more. Yet, what really makes her look forward to being a graduate of Brandeis University and what remains the most influential and enjoyable of her academic experiences is her Russian literature courses. Somehow, I have a suspicion that this would not be an area that Owens would consider crucial to a student's education and may even consider cutting.

My Tolstoy and Nabokov courses may be your French film, Social History of the Confederacy or Sex and Sensibility in the European Novel courses -- whatever you considered a life-altering academic experience at Brandeis.

Finally, I do understand that we need to fix the budget, and this will inevitably entail difficult decisions. But, I hope that Owens and the other administrators remember that they are not the students and should not be making these decisions without student input, especially if they involve course cuts.