By Christine McCluskey

The President’s Office at Bryn Mawr has released a report suggesting the termination of the Russian graduate program for financial reasons. The termination would go into effect at the end of the 2000-2001 school year.

The cut would impact both the graduate and undergraduate programs. While current graduate students would not be affected by this change should it occur, no new students would be admitted to the program from that point on. Current and future undergraduate students of Russian would be affected by the loss of graduate student TAs, who serve as significant mentors to them, says Russian major Olivia Tomaselli ’00.

“I myself know that I would not be where I am in Russian today if it weren’t for the support and teaching I received from various grad students over the years,” she wrote in an email last week to undergraduate students of Russian, urging them to make their opinions on the issue known to the administration.

Tomaselli said that the Russian department faculty are attempting to convince President Nancy Vickers of the value of the graduate program. It is one of the better-known nation-wide in Russian and in second-laguage acquisition.

“[Vickers] has expressed to the Department that she will reconsider,” Tomaselli wrote.

There will be a meeting today at 5 p.m. in the Russian Center to further discuss the issue.