West Virginia University, the flagship public institution in one of America’s poorest states, has announced a plan to get rid of all foreign languages and creative writing, and fire about 7% of its academic staff. The move is unprecedented among large American schools, and faculty and students are not happy. Nick Anderson of The Washington Post takes a deeper look at the controversy. (August 2023)
Facing a Deficit, One College Drops Foreign Languages
FILE - West Virginia University students lead a protest against cuts to programs in world languages, creative writing and more amid a $45 million budget deficit outside Stewart Hall in Morgantown, W.Va., on Aug. 21, 2023.