Ohio University is preparing to launch the School of International Studies and Languages, which will officially debut with events Thursday, Sept. 25, and Friday, Sept. 26.
The new school will merge international studies, modern languages, linguistics and the Ohio Program of Intensive English into one unit. SISAL aims to “prepare students and communities to engage an interconnected world through globally focused education, cross-cultural collaboration, and multilingual proficiency,” according to its website.
Bärbel Such, the chair of the Department of Modern Languages and an associate professor of German, said the merger will not affect positions.
Between the Department of Modern Languages, the Linguistics Department and the Center for International Studies, OU students have many language offerings at their disposal, with 14 languages to choose from.
“Everything will stay the same, so the departments will still operate autonomously, but we have a director for the school who will oversee the school as a whole,” Such said.
There are also plans to host cultural events that bring together students across the departments. One of those will be a Halal cooking competition during the SISAL launch, which is open to everyone, not just language students.
In addition, the language department is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, with a Hispanic Film Series at the Athena Cinema. The series begins Sept. 23 and continues for the next five Tuesdays.
Such added departments are hoping to hold more collaborative events in the future, such as a “dance around the world” celebration.
OU currently offers 14 languages across multiple departments, with options for both majors and minors.
The Department of Modern Languages offers French, German, Italian and Spanish. Students can also earn certificates in Italian and German Studies. There is currently a French major, but due to the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act, also known as Senate Bill 1, it will soon be merged with other programs.
Though SB1 will merge the French major, the act will not affect staffing or classes. No courses are offered exclusively for the major, and the French minor will remain.
Russian used to be available but was cut due to budget constraints and low enrollment.
The Linguistics Department offers Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, English and Swahili classes. Languages offered through the Center for International Studies include Akan, Hindi, Indonesian, Malaysian, Thai and Wolof. Students cannot major in those languages, but taking the classes counts for majors, such as international studies and international studies war and peace.
The university also offers classical Greek or Latin through classics and religious studies.
OU students pursuing a B.S. in Arts and Sciences must fulfill a language requirement, but Such said the benefits go beyond graduation requirements to expand knowledge of languages and cultures.
“When you take a language, you learn so much about your own language first,” Such said. “Of course, none of our language classrooms are only language classrooms. We also always offer a lot of cultural content.”
