Shortening Year does no Harm

(Opposite view) .

by Thomas V.DiBacco.

You shouldn't judge a book by its cover or academe by the length of its semester. Sure, the academic year has been tightened in recent years, but for good reason. When I started university teaching in 1964, the school year ran* from late September to mid-June, with the fall semester interrupted by the December holidays and not completed until mid-January. Then came another break before the next semester. Semesters were shortened by extending class time and providing for independent studies planned individually between students and professors. Besides, many students needed to work to pay their tuition, and because adult learners, especially women, inundated* campuses, it made

little sense to mosey* through an academic year. A long study period before final exams went the way of the wind...Condensing the academic year doesn't mean less attention to

academics. Take a stroll around campuses today and you'll find libraries and computer labs open not only seven days a week but also into the early hors of the morning, if not 24 hours.

My biggest class this semester begins after normal working hours at 8:10 p.m. and runs 150 minutes. Weekend classes also are popular, and distance learning via cable TV provides students with another opportunity to gain academic credits at untraditional times. Because it's a long, long time from May to September, some outside observers may think that vacation is the hallmark* of higher ed* today. But many students work during the summer, blending what they learn in the classroom with real world- experience. You can call that today's version of the ivory tower*.

(Thomas V.DiBacco,

a historian at American University).

Vicabulary

to run - здесь: продолжаться, длиться;

inundated - наводненные, заполненные;

to mosey - амер. неспешно бродить, слоняться;

hallmark - отличительная черта;

ed = education - образование;

ivory tower - a place where one avoids the reality of ordinary life -

башня из слоновой кости.

Ex. Answer the questions.

1. What are the reasons for shortening school year at the University?

2. What are the cutting strategies?

3. Is the tuition at the University the same as it was 30-35 years ago?

4. What negative results will be caused by reducing the academic calendar?

Ex. These are the synonyms. Make up sentences with each word.

to shorten - сократить; to shrink (shrank, shrunk) - сжиматься, уменьшаться;

to compress - сжать; to cut (cut, cut) - сократить, урезать;

to abbreviate - сокращать; to trim - укоротить, to slice away - урезать;

to reduce - сократить; to tighten - сжать; to condense - сжать, сократить.

Ex. Match the words with their Russian equivalents.

1. expertise a/ впитывать, поглощать

2. expenses b/ совпадение

3. obvious c/ научно-исследовательская работа

4. controversial d/ отменять

5. elite e/ завершать

6. blending f/ требование

7. coincidence g/ средний

8. to interrupt h/ плата за образование

9. to complete i/ жаловаться

10. to abolish j/ прерывать

11. research k/ очевидный

12. tuition l/ противоречивый

13. to complain m/ элита

14. to absorb n/ сочетание, комбинация

15. demand o/ расходы

16. average р/ опыт

Ex. Find in the text the following expressions. Use them in the sentences below.

Match the expressions with their Russian equivalents.

1/ набор в колледж a. real world-experience

2/ всеобщее снижение строгоcти b. to save money

3/ получать зачеты c. depreciated diploma

4/ дополнительная плата d. independent studies

5/ платить за образование e. to take a stroll

6/ обесцененный диплом f. to track the trend

7/ отмечать тенденцию g. ivory tower

8/ снизить требования к диссертации h. to pay more for less

9/ увеличить объем занятий в классе i. today's version

10/ долгое время j. college enrollment

11/ практический опыт k. to fund education

12/ сэкономить деньги l. to gain academic credits

13/ платить больше за меньшееits m. to judge a book by its cover

14/ выпускные экзамены n. to extend class-time

15/ башня из слоновой кости o. to drop(lighten) thesis requirements

16/ современная версия p. extra-tuition

17/ прогуляться q. in the long run

18/ судить о книге по обложке r. overall decline in rigor

19/ самостоятельные занятия s. final exams

Ex. Translate the following sentences using the words and expressions in the text.

to pay one's tuition; tto track the trend; o judge a book by its cover;

overall decline in rigor; shortening school year; to save money; to earn a

depreciated diploma; to earn a bachelor's degree; to take exams; to

complete one's thesis; combination of..; on schedule; to trim away a class

day; to blend what they learn in the classroom with real-world experience;

student enrollment; to gain academic credits; to plan indepandent studies

individually; distance learning via cable TV.

1. ?Я планирую завершить диссертацию к середине января. 2. Многим студентам

приходится работать, чтобы оплачивать учебу. 3. Нельзя судить о книге по ее

обложке. 4. Исследователи отмечают тенденцию всеобщего снижения строгости в

американских университетах. 5. Причина сокращения школьного года означает

потытку сэкономить деньги. 6. В результате вы можете получить обесцененный

диплом. 7. Для того, чтобы получить степень бакалавра, нужно проучиться в

колледже 4 года, сдавая экзамены и получая зачеты в конце каждого семестра.

8. Мы ценим (appreciate) ваш опыт и знания. 9. Сочетание более высокой

платы за обучение и сокращенный объем занятий в классе не дает хороших

результатов. 10. Все большее число студентов не могут завершить получение

степени бакалавра за положенные срок. 11. К сожалению, они сократили

научную работу в лаборатории. 12. Многие студенты работают летом, соединяя

то, что они узнали в классе, с практическим опытом. 13. Набор студентов в

колледж увеличен. 14. Библиотки и компьютерные лаборатории открыты семь

дней в неделю, с раннего утра до позднего вечера. 15. Семестр сокращен, но

продолжительность занятий увеличена. 16. Кроме того, будут самостоятельные

занятия, планируемые индивидуально (между) студентами и преподавателями.

17. Существует также дистанционное образование, получаемое с помощью

кабельного телевидения.

Ex. Complete the chart, which summarizes the content of the article.

Give positive and negative consequences of shortening school year.

N E G A T I V E : P O S I T I V E:

Text II-C

James Meikle

Education Correspondent

Polytechnics and colleges of higher education face an effective cut in funding for students after a 17 per cent rise in intake was approved yesterday, despite an increase of only 7 per sent in real terms in state subsidies.

The plans for 84 institutions outside the university sector announced yesterday show a 33.000 increase in the number of full-time students to be supported by the government-appointed Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council.

State subsidies limit central grants to only 186.000 of the 221.950 full-time students now in the system. The others are only worth an extra £1.675 each in fees to their institutions, instead of about £5.400, if they were grant-supported as well.

The growing demand for places has put pressure on polytechnics and colleges to pack in more "fees only" students next autumn, even though the Government will not increase its block grant to pay for these extra places.

It expects the colleges to meet the extra costs through efficiency savings. Demand for courses outside the university sector is running at record levels, with applications already up 11 per cent on last year.

But the council said standards are high and rising, despite concerns over staffing levels and accommodation. Dg Bill Stubbs, the council's chief executive said the sector was "strong, buoyant and wishing to grow".

The council estimates that the sector will get 13 per cent more money in cash terms next year, through grants or student fees, but that include government estimates or 6 per cent inflation.

Part-time and sandwich students are also set to increase significantly under the plans.

Polytechnic and college leaders have been pressing for a review of the funding system. They say they cannot economise indefinitely under a system in which 10 per cent of the council grant is won by competitive bidding for students.

The Committee of directors of Polytechnics forecast an increasing trend for polytechnics to take students living locally, to avoid building more residential accommodation.

Spokesman John Izbicki said: "If the Government really wants to double the number of students in higher education by 2015, as we do, it must take on more responsibility for funding this expansion."

"The Guardian”

Vocabulary to the Text.

Surge – резкий скачок

Face – сталкиваться

Cut – сокращение

Rise - подъем

Intake – прием студентов

Approve – одобрять

Despite – несмотря на

Increase – увеличение

In terms of – с точки зрения

Subsidies – финансирование

Institution – учреждение

Announce – объявлять

Full-time students – студенты дневного обучения

Appoint - назначать

Council – совет

Worth – стоящий

Fees – плата (за обучение)

Instead of – вместо

Demand – требование

Pressure – давление

Extra – дополнительный

Efficiency – эффективность

Saving – экономия

Application – заявление

Despite – несмотря на

Concern – тревога, беспокойство

Staffing – обеспеченность кадрами

Accommodation – жилище

Executive – администратор, руководитель

Buoyant – жизнерадостный

Estimate – оценивать

In cash – наличными

Part-time student=sandwich student –

Студенты, совмещающие учебу с работой

Revision - пересмотр

Economise – экономить

Indefinitely – до бесконечности

Bidding – добавка

Forecast – предсказывать

Trend тенденция

Avoid – избегать

Residential – жилой

Double – удвоить

Expansion - расширение

Ex. Match the phrases with their Russian equivalents.

1. Take on responsibility a/ финансирование штата

2. Rise in intake – b/ увеличивающася тенденция

3. Double the number c/ дополнительные расходы

4. Cut in funding d/ назначенный государством

5. Extra costs e/ экономить до бесконечности

6. Record level f/ удвоить число

7. State subsidies g/ брать на себя ответственность

8. Full-time student h/ сокращение финансирования

9. Government-appointed i/ рекордный уровень

10. Increasind trend j/ увеличение набора (студентов)

11. economise indefinitely k/ студент дневной формы обучения

Ex. Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Политехнические и другие вузы сталкиваются с большим сокращением финансирования, ибо прием студентов увеличился на 17%, а планируемое увеличение дотаций штата – только 7%. 2. План набора студентов дневной формы обучения в 88 учреждениях вне университетского сектора показывает увеличение на 33 тыс. человек. 3. Растущая потребность (demand for) в дополнительных местах оказывает давление на руководителей колледжей и университетов. 4. Возрастает прием студентов дневного обучения, которые будут оплачивать только обучение (pay tuition fee), не нуждаясь в проживании в общежитиии студгородка. 5. Согласно плана, увеличится и число студентовБ совмещающих учебу с работой. 6. Руководители вузов требуют пересмотра системы финансирования. 7. Они говорят, что не могут экономить до бесконечности. 8. Совет (Board) директоров политехнических вухов предсказывает тенденцию приема студентов, живущих по соседству (locally) во избежание строительства дополнительных общежитий. 9. По словам одного из спикеров, если правительство планирует удвоить прием студентов к 2015 году, оно должно взять на себя ответственность за финансирование этого расширения.

Comprehension Check.

Ex. Answer the following questions.

1. How big is the cut in funding for higher education institutions?

2. How much cash will the sector of higher education receive next year?

3. Will the number of part-time students also increase?

4. What have the colleges’ leaders been pressed for?

5. What is forecasted by the Committee of directors of polytechnics?

Topics to Discuss.

1. Cut of state funding for high-education institutions.

2. “Fee only” students.

3. Part-time students.

Text II-D

U.S. Plans Fellowships for Graduate Students.

The prize was a fellowship for up to two years of graduate or professional study in (he United Slates. Last week in Moscow. more than 1 000 you at Russians turned out to pick up application forms on the first day they were available.

Next l60 successful applicants all of them citizens of Russia or other former republics or the Soviet Union, will be on U.S. campuses as members of the first class of Benjamin Franklin Fellows.

The details of the program. which has won $7-million in support from Congress for each of its first two years. were announced here by the United States Information Agency which is co-ordinating the project

The fellowships will be awarded fur graduate study in business administration , economics law and public administra­tion. A candidate must be under 40 years or age a college (graduate. fluent in English, and a citizen of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Be­larus, Estonia, Georgia. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia. Lithuania, Moldova, Russia. Tajikistan Turkmenistan. Ukraine, or Uzbekistan* All 15 countries will be repre­sented in the program. the the fellowship will be distributed across the region and among the four fields of study.

The program was made possible by legislation sponsored by Sen. George Mitchel, Democrat of Maine, and other mem­bers of Congress and incorporated in the U.S. Will Award New Fellowships for Graduate Work

This represents an intelligent investment on the ran of the U.S. in building democratic institutions in the whole region said Dan Davidson, a professor of Russian at Bryn Mawr College and executive director of (he American Council of Teachers of Russian-American Council for Collaboration in Education and Language Study group is one of four U.S. .Academic Exchange organization elected to administer the program Thee others are the Institutions of International Education, the International Research and Exchanges Board. and the Soros’ Foundation

"Franklin Fellows will bring back to their home countries the benefits of latest American training,” added Mr. Davidson "Many will assure leadership role upon their return home. Its future policy make is in local and national governments, education in the emerging private sector

Mr. Davidson said he expected there would be 20.00O applicants for the 160 fellowship and about 2.000 would be asked to submit to academic and English Language testing. Franklin Fellows will he selected on basis of test -scores. academic excellence. and personal interviews Mr. Davidson organization is the principal administrator lor of the program, and . with irfx. is responsible for ail all on-site recruiting interviewing testing and orientation J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board will oversee the program.