The Paper Trail

Berkeley English Department Cuts Classes

By Alison Go

August 28, 2008 RSS Feed Print

The English department at UC-Berkeley has had to cut 11 classes because of statewide budget problems, which include a 10 percent decrease in funds from the state this year, the Daily Californian reports. If there's a silver lining, the number of classes that were eliminated was slightly less than expected; 16 courses was the original estimate.

As a result, students are finding it difficult to enroll in classes, and wait lists are generally longer than usual. As one transfer student put it: "I'm overwhelmed and can't think of anything but getting into classes."

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UC-Berkeley

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Quite a few classes have been cut. Frankly, I'm at a loss for how Berkeley can let it happen, considering their endowment. You would imagine that an endowment fundamentally should be used to make up for relatively short-term budget shortfalls. You can check the schedule yourself. It's rather sparse these days.

According to this publication, Berkeley is currently rated number one, tied with Harvard and Yale (If I'm not mistaken) for having the best English department. Whether they retain that title, I believe, is up to them.

of CA 4:26AM October 31, 2008

What classes have they cut?

I went there undergrad and hate to think of the department getting rid of anything, be it Middle Scottish poetry, or film, or Shakespeare, or Joyce, or what have you.

Is the department still rated quite high nationally? Are these cuts expected to have an impact on that?

I'm afraid for Berkeley in light of the budget crises in California. The University is getting less and less support from the State.

Tom Nevins of CA 11:48PM October 14, 2008

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