Students struggle with limited Arabic enrollment

It is standing room only in the two Arabic 1A classes at UCLA,
and with no additional sections planned for the near future and
enrollments projected to increase, many students might be left
without even a standing spot.

The two “Introduction to Arabic” classes at UCLA
have an enrollment cap of 25 students. Even with professors
enrolling more students off the waiting list, the lists are still
full, and many more students are unable to take the class.

Professor Michael Fishbein, lecturer for Arabic language classes
and the undergraduate advisor for the Near Eastern languages and
cultures program, said increasing enrollment has been a trend for
Arabic classes in recent years, with enrollment reaching an
all-time high this fall.

Rafia Waheed, a third-year psychology student, might lose her
spot in Arabic 1A due to scheduling conflicts, and she cannot take
another class since the only two offered are full.

“The Arabic class is clashing with my discussion from
another class, and I might be forced to drop it,” Waheed
said.

Even though many students want UCLA to add more Arabic classes,
William Schniedewind, head of the Near Eastern languages and
cultures department, said adding another section is impossible due
to budget restraints.

“We have a budget crisis in California, and we simply do
not have any money to add additional classes,” Schniedewind
said.

He added that although budget cuts are affecting all
departments, Arabic classes have their own set of concerns due to
increasing enrollment.

“There is more interest now in the Middle East with the
current political situation, and more students are choosing to
enroll in these classes,” Schniedewind said.

Michael Cooperson, an associate professor of Arabic, said a
combination of two different factors makes Arabic language classes
appealing to students.

“Part of the interest is obviously Sept. 11, and part of
it is the increase in the Arab and Muslim population at
UCLA,” he said.

Cooperson added that many students in Arabic classes are
“heritage learners,” students who want to know more
about their background and that of their parents.

This is true for Muslim student Uzma Kolsy, a second-year
political science student, who is taking Arabic to connect more to
her culture.

“I have been reading Arabic all my life without knowing
the meaning of the words, and the Quran is in Arabic so I wanted to
take the class,” Kolsy said.

According to Fishbein, a lot of students try to take Arabic 1A
in the beginning of the year, since those unable to take it this
fall will have to wait an entire year before the class will be
offered again.

Some students, such as third-year psychology student Tasneem
Motale, believe larger sections would enable more students to take
the class. However, Schniedewind said making the classes bigger
would not present a satisfactory solution.

“In introduction language classes the student-faculty
ratio is critical. Students need small classes so that they can
practice the language with the professor one-on-one,” he
said.

The ideal size for an introductory language class is 12-15
students, he said. Arabic classes, with an average of 30 students,
as well as many other language classes on campus, are already too
large by these standards.

In an effort to help the situation, Arabic 1A, 1B and 1C are
being offered to an unlimited number of students during the summer,
something that is not possible during the normal academic year,
Schniedewind said.

“Across the board for all the UCs, summer classes are
“˜self-revenue generating,’ which means that there is a
direct relation between the number of students attending a class
and the number of classes offered,” Schniedewind said.

This is not true during the academic year when there is a fixed
budget independent of the number of students enrolled in a
class.

This past summer, all three Arabic classes offered were full,
and the classes will be offered again next summer.

Despite the openings in the summer program, there is still no
help for students unable to take Arabic classes during the academic
year, and right now there is no solution in sight.

Schniedewind is hard-pressed to find an answer.

“This is a heartbreaking situation, but what do you do
when there is just not enough money?” he asked.

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