Letters to the Editor: campus cuts

Students concerned over teacher cuts on campus

By: Students

Posted: 3/27/09

Dear Editors,

I'm writing because of my concern over Florida Southern's decision to not rehire Dr. Bernheim, the only creative writing professor at FSC. Many of my fellow students and I feel this decision should be overturned because of several grievances facing the students of the English program as well as students involved in creative arts outside of the classroom environment. Florida Southern College has a reputation as being an institution that truly cares for its students and hopes to ensure that the education offered by the college is of the best and most professional quality possible, however, I do not see how they can continue to have this reputation if new buildings are more important than having amazing teachers at this college.

Dr. Bernheim has established a bond between our college community and professional contemporary writers that has never before been present on the college level. With her loss, Florida Southern would lose valuable connections to contemporary writers like Michael Dumanis, Robin Schiffe, and Salvatore Scibona. These writers have come from great distances because of their connection with Dr. Bernheim. Professionals of this quality would cost far more to bring to campus without her involvement in our program and would further hurt the finances of the English department and the college as a whole.

Dr. Bernheim's involvement in the Cantilevers and Mechanicals Prose and Poetry Melee was instrumental and resulted in heavily attendance and gave the writers of FSC a voice that was previously limited to a much smaller peer group. Dr. Bernheim is the reason that the creative writers have vocalized their talents and are coming together as a much larger group that spans genres, generations, and academic departments. FSC's students' creativity would remain unnoticed outside of Cantilevers: Journal of the Arts without Dr. Berheim.

Because of the changing focus of Mechanicals, Dr. Bernheim has become the co-advisor with Dr. Taylor in creating a creative writing group for students. The group meets and holds workshops that are only successful because of the background in creative writing that Dr. Bernheim brings to the college. Without Dr. Bernheim to provide professional feedback to student work, the group would cease to function.

Dr. Bernheim is also willing to take on Cantilevers as the official advisor. Dr. Saulsbury has already integrated Dr. Bernheim into the organization and has prepared her to take on the task of the annual publication. Cantilevers members were looking forward to having access to her publishing experience and making this already wonderful journal into an even greater literary and artistic achievement. With Dr. Bernheim's cut, the Cantilevers staff is losing a valuable resource that would have made the quality of student work truly stand out among the world of collegiate publications.

On the most personal level, several students need Dr. Bernheim's upcoming creative writing fiction course in the fall for timely graduation. Kimberly Karalius requires this final writing course in order to graduate in a timely fashion. The only other writing course that would be applicable to her in order for her to graduate was offered recently and will not be offered again until well after the last semester of her senior year. Michelle Jensen requires the creative writing course in the summer session to graduate with a completed English Major. She has an internship for the education department during her last semester so she will not be able to take any additional courses during her time here. Because Dr. Bernheim is the only professor truly capable of teaching creative writing courses, these students will be prevented from graduating and will be forced to transfer from this college in order to earn their bachelor degrees.

Students of the English Department who are interested in graduate studies in the field of creative writing require Dr. Bernheim in order to set up portfolios for their MFA applications. Dr. Bernheim's professional ability to critique and improve student work is instrumental in prospective MFA students. Dr. Bernheim also possesses prestigious creative writing credentials and connections that would give these students an edge in applying for graduate schools. Without Dr. Bernheim's assistance, creative writers will be at a great disadvantage that may discourage students from furthering their education.

Florida Southern College, as an institution of higher education, must also remain competitive with other colleges and universities. In order to do so, Florida Southern must offer a wide variety of majors, minors, and concentrations. The lack of a Creative Writing concentration within the English department will greatly hinder enrollment rates from prospective students in the future. Those prospective students, who are interested in writing, will be forced to attend other institutions to get the education that they desire. To put it plainly, FSC will lose money in the long run if Dr. Bernheim's contract is not renewed, causing the loss of FSC's Creative Writing program.

Dr. Bernheim is a great asset to the Florida Southern community and her loss is one that students, professors and faculty members will regret. Though the decision was made for fiscal reasons, Dr. Bernheim's loss will only disadvantage and discourage current and prospective students from joining and remaining in the campus community. New buildings are nice, but if there are no qualified teachers teaching in them it is all pretty pointless if you ask the students of FSC.

Sincerely,

Concerned Students

Shay Lessman

Kimberly Karalius

Michelle Jensen