What’s the hook? Recruiting students to French

Mary Vogl, Colorado State UniversityMichele LaPean-Usher, Milton High School, Milton, WI

Larry Kuiper, University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeAnita Alkhas, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

The good…• By 2007–08, [K-12]

enrollment increased by 3.1%, reaching 8.9 million students, or 18.5% of all students. (ACTFL survey)

• University foreign-language enrollment is at an all-time high.

(MLA Survey, 2009)

the bad…• K-12 world language enrollments have decreased in some states

(e.g., Wisconsin & Colorado)• Language courses as a percentage of college classes:

1965 16.5% 2006, 2009 8.6%

• Graduate-school foreign language enrollment 2006 -2009: down 6.7%

• Colleges & universities w/ foreign language requirement for graduation:1885: 64%; 1966: 89%; 1971: 77%; 1994: 66%; 2009: 50%

• MLA Survey of 100 institutions: % of college students in lang. classes1965 (language requirement intact): 25% 1970 (requirement rescinded): 14.9%

and the ugly…• “At least 54 foreign-

language majors […] have been either threatened or eliminated.” Dr. “Tennessee” Bob Peckham, New York Times, Dec. 2010

• Departments cut 2002-presentSUNY Albany - French, Italian, Russian and Classics degree programs Louisiana State -- Japanese, Russian, Swahili & Portuguese eliminated ; German & Latin degrees cutDrake University – all foreign lang. instruction cutUniversity of Nevada Reno - ?

• University of Northern Iowa – all but Spanish

• GERMAN Programs closedUniversity of Southern California Humbolt State Alfred University Bethel CollegeUniversity of Maine Washington State Univ. (phasing out)University of Florida – Ph.D. in German

• FRENCH Programs closedRice University – Graduate program Univ. of Florida – Ph.D. in FrenchB.A. IN FRENCH:South Carolina State University Nicholls State University Tennessee State UniversityFoothill College in California. H

• OTHER Programs closedHoward University - Classics Oregon State – Italian Univ. of Florida - Korean & Vietnamese

how do we

hook students

when our job

is on the line?

SO…

The sinker, not the hook:

• recognize we can’t do it all

• focus on areas where we have agency

• choose new initiatives wisely

• maximize what we already do well

• identify allies and build partnerships

• tailor our efforts to our institution/context

• be vigilant, scan the horizon for

opportunities & threats

What Can We Do?

http://www.marketing-tools-for-real-estate.com/image-files/catch-fish.jpg

Work smarter, not harder

Advocacy Resources (don’t reinvent the wheel)

• AATF Advocacy Site http://www.utm.edu/staff/globeg/advofr.shtml

• http://frenchadvocacy.wikispaces.com– Sample advocacy letters, testimonials from students, etc.

• ACTFL Advocacy Sites http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3656 http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=5084

• ADFL Toolkit for Department Advocacyhttp://www.adfl.org/resources/adfl_toolkit_defend_dept.htm

• CALPER Advocacy Site http://calper.la.psu.edu/resources.php?page=langadv

Where do we focus our efforts?

I. Visibility and Outreach to Parents/Students/Schools (VISIBILITY VIABILITY)

II. Visibility and Outreach to Community

III. Visibility and Outreach on Campus

IV. Recruitment & Retention: Administrative/Programmatic Initiatives

V. Recruitment & Retention: Curricular Initiatives

VI. Partnerships

Where do we focus our efforts?

I.Visibility and Outreach to Parents/Students/Schools

(VISIBILITY VIABILITY)

II. Visibility and Outreach to Community

500+ high/middle school students

Outreach & Partnership: Local teachers association

Outreach - Curricular Workshops and Immersion Experiences for Teachers

Fundraising

I. Visibility and Outreach to Parents/Students/Schools

Language Days; Teacher Organizations & Curricular Workshops; Online pedagogical resources; (Virtual) Visits to schools; Student internships/service learning in schools; Online student collaborations; College for Kids; concurrent enrollment…

II. Visibility and Outreach to Community

Film series, Invited Speakers; Open House, News Items, State Fair, Service Learning, Fundraising for causes; Student projects/assignments in the community; Literacy/Storytelling; Informal consulting…

Where do we focus our efforts?

III. Visibility and Outreach on Campus

Foreign Languages Career Fair

Campus Visibility: Publicizing courses

Campus Open House

III. Visibility and Outreach on Campus

Film series; Conferences; News Items (print, univ. website); Open House, Fundraising; clubs/student groups; international/SA/job fairs; “National X Week;” Course/event publicity; Committee work; Social events; Co-sponsoring events…

Where do we focus our efforts?

IV. Recruitment & Retention: Administrative/Programmatic Initiatives

PowerPoint outlining program (to potential majors/minors & 1st & 2nd yr students)

Participation of languages in campus recruitment efforts

IV. Recruitment & Retention: Administrative/Programmatic Initiatives

Educating advisors/administrators; Lobbying (e.g., lang req.); Newsletters/FB groups; liaisons w/ SA, etc.; Strategic committee work; Innovative recruitment materials; Streamlining/Standardization; Branding; Language Houses/Polyglot floors; Honor Society; Student scholarships/prizes/contests/recognition; State/National competitions…

Where do we focus our efforts?

V. Recruitment & Retention: Curricular Initiatives

“Gateway” Languages; Third+ Languages; Accelerated Courses for Experienced Language Learners (XLLs); double majors/minors; certificates; study abroad in 2 languages…

Languages promoting languages

Views of France: Learning French Culture through Cuisine(inspired by a high-enrollment course - Views of Italy: Italians and the Mafia)

100-level course taught in English since 2000 (satisfies two Gen Ed requirements)

90-115 enrollments per semester

Variations: honors college, freshman seminar, summer,

advanced U/G course in French

--> Food studies certificate (2012)

“Bread and Butter” Course

Courses taught in English• FREN 195 First Year Seminar: French Culture through Cuisine (Literature Core)• FREN 195 First Year Seminar: A Season in the Congo (Literature Core, CD)• FREN 250 Africa Films Africa (CD)• FREN 260 a.k.a. Africa: Mapping Identifies in African Literature and Film (Literature

Core, CD)• FREN 340 French Cinema and Literature

(Literature Core)• FREN 350 Paris-Berlin: Connections and Contrasts at the Turn of the 20th Century (Literature Core)

V. Recruitment & Retention: Curricular Initiatives

Innovative courses: high enrollment intros - interdisciplinary - in-translation - language across the curriculum - content courses - short courses - service learning; Clarity & transparency: advising - course descriptions - standardizing syllabi…; Multiple options (double majors/minors; certificates, etc.)…

VI. PartnershipsWithin languages, among languages, across disciplines, across levels, with community-campus-state-national-

international organizations, with alumni…

Language Faculty in Beginning Arabic (summer short course)

I. Visibility and Outreach to Schools

Language Days; Teacher Organizations & Curricular Workshops; Online pedagogical resources; (Virtual) Visits to schools; Student internships/service learning in schools; Online student collaborations; College for Kids; concurrent enrollment…

II. Visibility and Outreach to Community

Film series, Invited Speakers; Open House, News Items, State Fair, Service Learning, Fundraising for causes; Student projects/assignments in the community; Literacy/Storytelling; Informal consulting…

III. Visibility and Outreach on Campus

Film series; Conferences; News Items (print, univ. website); Open House, Fundraising; clubs/student groups; international/SA/job fairs; “National X Week;” Course/event publicity; Committee work; Social events; Co-sponsoring events…

IV. Recruitment & Retention: Administrative/Programmatic Initiatives

Educating advisors/administrators; Lobbying (e.g., lang req.); Newsletters/FB groups; liaisons w/ SA, etc.; Strategic committee work; Innovative recruitment materials; Streamlining/Standardization; Branding; Language Houses/Polyglot floors; Honor Society; Student scholarships/prizes/contests/recognition; State/National competitions…

• Recruitment & Retention: Curricular Initiatives

Innovative courses: high enrollment intros - interdisciplinary - in-translation - language across the curriculum - content courses - short courses - service learning; Clarity & transparency: advising - course descriptions - standardizing syllabi…; Multiple options (double majors/minors; certificates, etc.)…

This presentation is available:

e-mail: alkhas@uwm.edu