Delay major academic changesRegarding your article "Rethink academic restructuring" (Forum, Jan. 26):

In addition to the points made in this editorial, it would be wisest to defer making any major changes in academic offerings until the new president of the University is chosen.

Changes at this level should be approved and implemented under the aegis of the leader who will have to work with the consequences of them.

-Meredith Warshaw, MA '87



Univ restructuring plan doesn't pay

In response to your article "Academic programs to face cuts" (News, Jan. 26):

Rather than eliminating programs, I think the University needs to think long and hard about either how to maintain these programs while saving money, or about how much money will actually be saved by eliminating them.

A program like Medieval and Renaissance Studies employs professors already firmly employed in the History, Art History, English (Literature), and other departments, and would be very easy to maintain at no extra cost.

What does it actually cost the University to have courses which are already being taught by professors who are already here and firmly entrenched in core departments such as History, Art and Literature?

What does it cost the University to have these courses, in disparate departments, count on someone's transcript as an established major or minor in "Medieval and Renaissance Studies"?

Just about nothing, I should think. The only way I can imagine that a Medieval and Renaissance Studies program costs the university more than having these professors teach these classes without it counting as a major or minor would be if the costs were in excessive, unnecessary back office administration and bureaucracy.

Whether we have a Medieval and Renaissance Studies program or not, Prof. Kapelle (HIST) will continue to go on lecturing on medieval history for the History department, and will continue to get paid.

And if he leaves and is not replaced, that would create a very serious gap in the University's (specifically the History Department's) offerings-a very serious problem.

Whether we have a "program" in it or not, medieval history, Renaissance art and the like are crucial core subjects that every university ought to be teaching.

So I don't see where the University thinks it is going to be getting any great savings out of cutting these programs.

-Travis Seifman '04