| Many University Professors Don't Speak English | | | | So, I did a little investigating. I started calling |
| When I was in college, I had a professor that | | | | people older than me. Sure enough, many of the |
| could barely say hello in English. It was a | | | | older people reported having the same problem at |
| Trigonometry class and math had historically been | | | | the university. What I found to be more disturbing |
| my most difficult subject. To make a long story | | | | was a growing trend. Professors hire research |
| short, I dropped that math class after failing the | | | | assistants based on math skills. They attract |
| first exam. Even after going to the math lab, I | | | | talent by offering fellowships ($). In return, for the |
| couldn't make out what the professor was saying. | | | | money, the assistants are asked to teach |
| I was a little upset, but quickly forgot about it. I | | | | undergraduate classes. |
| took the same class from an English speaking | | | | University Administrators and Professors Agree |
| professor and got an A. In fact, it wasn't all that | | | | on Problem, but Encourage Me That it's Futile to |
| difficult. A couple of years later I graduated with | | | | Change |
| my bachelors degree. | | | | I talked with the university and they told me not |
| The Problem Continues Over Many Years With No | | | | to get my hopes up about changing things. I |
| Change | | | | talked to several math professors who stated |
| Many years have gone by. I had pretty much | | | | they knew about the problem and something |
| forgotten the pain of that class from so many | | | | should be done, only, nobody wanted to be part |
| years ago. However, something renewed the pain | | | | of it. Why? Nobody wants to stand up and get |
| I felt. I was at dinner with my family. I was talking | | | | persecuted for trying to change the broken |
| to the waitress about her schooling and asked her | | | | system. One professor stated, "Here it is again. |
| how it was going. She was going to the same | | | | Rearing it's ugly head, but what do you do?" |
| university I had graduated from. She said she was | | | | Well, what I am doing is getting the word out. I |
| doing fine except for one class. I asked her if it | | | | can't tell you how many students I personally |
| was a math class and she said it was statistics. | | | | knew that changed their majors to things like |
| Then, I remembered and asked her, " Does the | | | | business and psychology after taking a couple of |
| professor speak English?" She replied, "No. I can't | | | | math classes and failing. These were good |
| tell what he is even talking about." | | | | students in High School; not slackers. |