I have followed the debate about the possible addition of a Hindi major with interest, and decided to gather evidence to test the claim that there was a strong desire for this major.
Examining the number of open seats still remaining in the Hindi courses offered for the fall semester convinced me otherwise. As of Monday night, with the majority of the student body having registered, 73 percent of the seats were still open. Compare this to a rate of 54 percent for another department that does not have a major-the Institute of Statistics and Decision Sciences. Consider the relative usefulness of each subject: The former is a language spoken in a Third World country overwrought by disease and poverty, while the latter is a science of proven, inestimable value in all branches of industry and science, especially medicine-an area very important to many students. The University should focus on putting its limited resources toward programs that are, in reality, the most sought-after by students and that will best prepare them for later life.
Jay Strader
Trinity '02
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