Posted on: Tuesday, September 14, 2004

Students reassured on language courses

By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer

Students of Filipino languages are being reassured that their courses at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa will be available when they want them, after concerns were raised that future funding might jeopardize certain offerings.

"Our philosophy is if the students come, the courses will be there," said Jean Toyama, interim associate dean of Languages, Linguistics and Literature. "There's no reason for us not wanting to support the Filipino language. We're not targeting any language. We're looking at the numbers."

Concerns have been raised that Filipino language courses are going to change — with only the beginning classes of the first and second years (10 and 201) offered in the fall, with the second levels of both (102 and 202) offered in the spring.

"It's important (to be offered in both fall and spring), especially at the lower levels, because it gives students various flexible entry points into their language study," said David Cabatu. The senior business major is still completing his language requirement for graduation because he transferred from a community college where Philippine languages were not available.

"If you come in from a community college, sometimes you have conflicts with your major requirements so having different entry points is important," said Cabatu, who is also president of the student Ilocano Language Program.

"That way, students don't have to wait a whole semester, or a year to get into the language of their choice."

Concerns had been raised earlier in the semester that the language courses will be offered "on-cycle" rather than "off-cycle," as they are now. Both Chinese and Samoan language classes are now being scheduled "on-cycle" — primarily to build a "cohort" of students moving along together, and for "better utilization of staff," Toyama said.

With both 101 and 102, as well as 201 and 202, being offered this semester, Toyama said, it means both will also be offered in the spring.

However, no decisions have been made yet for the future in the Filipino language programs, she said.

"We are not being draconian," said Toyama. "For instance, we are offering a Filipino 401 that has only three students and the normal cutoff would be 10. We're still offering it because we want to support our Filipino language program. And our Filipino 451 literature program has only six students, but we are offering it."

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Filipino language and literature is barely three years old, but has grown substantially from 180 students last year to 350 this year, said professor Ruth Mabanglo, coordinator of the Filipino language and Philippine Literature program.

"Once they declare their major, we lose them," said Mabanglo. "That's one reason we want off-cycle courses, in order to build the program. Right now the budget cuts will actually stunt the growth of the program."

Cabatu said that 85 percent of the Filipino population in Hawai'i speak Ilocano, and having the program available for students to learn the fine points of their language enhances the whole community.

"I understand the language but I don't necessarily speak it at home," he said. "My grandmother speaks in Ilocano but I answer her in English. It would be a lot nicer to answer her in Ilocano."

Cabatu said that as a business major, it's also easier for him to tackle a foreign language requirement where he already has a foothold because of his upbringing.

The Manoa campus is the only college in the country where a BA in Filipino language and literature is available.

Tomorrow, the Filipino student language groups have organized a panel to discuss these issues from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Room 306 of the Campus Center. All are invited, organizers said.

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.