Monday 26 July 2010
SAVE COMPLIT @ U TORONTO!
Herewith an important message from Antonio Viselli (below) regarding the impending closure of the Comparative Literature program at the University of Toronto. As the crisis deepens and the endowments and funding of many universities are threatened, many further departments in various universities internationally risk closure, one needs only look at the controversy surrounding Middlesex University as well as many other British universities for further examples. While a certain consolidation may be required due to these financial constraints, as academics (especially within the humanities) we should nevertheless stand together against the needless extinction of a department in an out of hand, unwarranted manner, a manner which threatens research and stifles academic license and creativity. The humanities are important and should not be considered administratively as a less than - an area in which budget cuts can be made without consequence, and this must be stressed in our solidarity ~ Brendon Wocke.
Dear colleagues, professors and friends,
The Centre for Comparative Literature founded by Northrop Frye at the University of Toronto is scheduled to be disestablished and the students and faculty of the centre are fighting hard to reverse this decision that was made unilaterally, without any consultation with other departments on behalf of the committee. They have decided to fuse six departments (over 20 languages) into one "School of Languages and Literatures," a decision that seems to move in the direction of possible language classes for business students and future diplomats. Not only is Comp Lit in danger, but the future of the Humanities as a whole as well. If you could kindly circulate this message and sign the petition (at the link below) and/or write (open) letters (that we can publicly post on our website) to President Naylor voicing your concern for disestablishing a centre that should be a discipline in its own right, we would greatly appreciate it. I thank you wholeheartedly in advance and welcome you to follow the debate and ongoing struggle on our website: www.savecomplit.ca
(The departments to fuse are Italian, German, , Slavics - over 10 languages -, Spanish and Portuguese, among others. Centres to be disestablished: Centre for Comparative Literature, Centre for Ethics (how ironic!), Centre for Diaspora Studies, Transnational Studies... unfortunately, the list goes on). French and English, holding a particular status in Canada, are not affected.
Cordialement, In solidarity,
Antonio Viselli
Herewith another letter that offers further background,
Hi all,
if you read the Globe and Mail yesterday morning (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/u-of-t-plans-to-shut-down-centre-for-comparative-literature/article1637740/ ) you'll have seen the front page news: the Faculty of Arts and Science, under advisement from the "Strategic Planning Committee" is planning to disestablish the Centre for Comparative Literature—founded by Northrop Frye in 1969—effective July 1, 2011. While this is supposedly in the "recommendation" stage, the Dean is treating it like a fait accompli, and is unwilling to discuss the proposal, and has already declared the Centre's survival to be unlikely (http://chronicle.com/article/U-of-Toronto-Plans-to-Shut-a/66278/ ).
We refuse, however, to simply accept his verdict that Comparative Literature is now past its best before date. In shutting down a world renowned centre for interdisciplinary research, the Dean is showing his lack of comprehension for a vital and vigourous discipline, as well as enacting the worrisome attitude of many large academic institutions towards the humanities. "What was revolutionary or radical in the 60s," he says, "has become embedded in the mainstream."
I am therefore asking you to sign the below petition to the President of the University, registering both our dismay at this plan, and urging him to reverse this recommendation. http://www.petitiononline.com/complit/petition.html
In addition, please visit www.savecomplit.ca, and write a letter registering your thoughts on this distressing move to the Dean and the President -- their contact information is available on the "Protest" tab. You can also join our Facebook group, follow us on Twitter -- and forward this message to others you know who might be dismayed by this short-sighted decision.
I thank you in advance for your support.
THE STUDENT BODY AT THE CENTRE FOR COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
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