Interactive graphic explaining space and the TSIE program
Provost Perry Moore sent a campus-wide e-mail to staff, faculty and students last week detailing his decision to close part of the Texas State Intensive English program in six months.
Moore addressed concerns and stated that only part of the TSIE program will be closed.
The program is designed to teach students English. Included in the program are bridge and non-bridge students. The bridge program allows TSIE students more affluent in English to take both language and university courses. In the non-bridge program, students not enrolled in the university focus on learning English.
Moore said only the non-bridge portion of the TSIE program will be canceled. His campus-wide e-mail Wednesday stated the split between the bridge and non-bridge students is 50/50.
The preliminary record shows 293 international students enrolled in the spring 2010 semester, according to Institutional Research. There are currently 59 students enrolled in the TSIE program. Six of those are bridge students, said TSIE Director Linda Munoz. She said during the past decade, 80 to 90 percent of enrollment is for the non-bridge program.
Moore said he is focused on helping the bridge students.
“We, I believe, have an obligation to those students (non-bridge students) to help them reach a point where they no longer need a program, or we are able to transition them into the bridge program,” Moore said.
Moore said the reason for the cancelation was space. The TSIE program uses five, sometimes six, 12-by-18 foot classrooms, a computer lab and teacher’s lounge. Classes are held on a regular student schedule. Moore said he plans for the College of Education to make use of the space, calling the current space problem on campus severe. Texas State enrollment surpassed 30,000 students last semester.
Moore said he is working on finding new space for the bridge program. Munoz said individuals within the program are packing materials in boxes in preparation for the move. Munoz does not know when or to where the program is moving.
“I’m sure we will find out in the next couple of months,” Munoz said. “I understand that they need this space. We all know that we have been spoiled, but it’s convenient for us all to be in one place. The reality is that most intensive English programs are not like this.”
Debbie Thorne, associate vice president for Academic Affairs, said TSIE’s goal will be to get as many students as possible from the non-bridge to the bridge program within the next six months.
She said university officials are helping students unable to make the transition by discussing other options with representatives from other intensive English programs. Munoz said she has one-on-one sessions scheduled with each of the 59 international students.
Moore cited TSIE students’ lack of interaction with and integration into the university as another reason he chose to cancel the non-bridge classes. He said non-bridge students spend most of their time apart from traditional students.
“Why would you want to give a lot of space to bring in international students?” Moore asked. “Probably because you want those students to interact with your other students. If those students are not interacting, if they’re not even capable of speaking English, if they’re interacting with each other instead of the vast student population of Texas State, then your theory is being undermined by your practice.”
Munoz said the international students go through a “cultural shock” when moving to Texas State. They interact with their American roommates and conversation partners — a program pairing TSIE students with American students to speak English one hour per week.
“I haven’t seen that they isolate themselves,” Munoz said. “Some of them do for the first couple months because they’re nervous and scared. Our job is to make them feel more comfortable in interacting with students.”
A portion of the student body has expressed concern over the non-bridge program’s closing.
Lisa Duncan, electronic media junior, distributed petitions calling for the TSIE programs continuation. Duncan has 100 signatures on her petition, and has e-mailed and passed out other pleas to more than 20 people. Duncan said she hopes to have more than 1,000 signatures.
Duncan is an officer on the Facebook group “DO NOT SHUT TSIE DOWN!!” which has acquired 820 members as of Monday night.
ASG Sen. Maria Wasley has authored a bill disagreeing with the provost’s decision and urging the university to consider alternatives to the program’s closing. Wasley, sociology senior, said the bill would be introduced at ASG’s meeting Monday.