Poor choices at RUC - a public letter of complaint

To the Study Board for Basic Studies in the Humanities,

 

I wish to complain about the inadequacy of RUC's facilitation of their international students, with the hope that some kind of a resolution can be reached which does not mean students compromising their futures because of RUC's lack of transparency. I do so on behalf of my fellow students as well.

 

I have recently been informed that as an international student I will have the meagre selection of Communications, Cultural Encounters, English, International Studies and Business Studies for my 3rd semester as a Humanities student at RUC.

 

This is, quite frankly, a joke. Personal interest (or lack thereof) aside it can be argued that the majority of these options fit only very clumsily into the humanities faculty. The majority would find a cosier fit in the social sciences. It seems RUC’s reputation to establish an alternative, unique and exciting university is running thin thanks to management blunders such as the one I am addressing with this email. Why is Business Studies one of the 5 only options for International students when classics of the humanities, such as philosophy, literature and history are not available to us? These are foundations which we have learned about only superficially in our first two semesters. This causes me to ask – what was the point of that?

 

Why did I come to Denmark under the false pretense that I would be studying Humanities when apparently, due to bureaucratic red-tape, I won't even be able to study humanities subjects? To be fair, English is undoubtedly a humanities subject, but I, personally, find this option unappealing as a native English speaker studying in a non-English speaking country.

 

We, the students, currently feel hopelessly let down by RUC – which unfortunately reflects the general climate on campus at the moment.

 

Now you will probably try to tell me that this lack of options is due to a shortage of funding or something of the like. This would be a fallacy on your behalf. Because if I were Danish over 20 choices of potential subjects would be available to me for next semester, according to ruc.dk.

I don't wish to accuse RUC of discrimination against its foreign students, but I'm finding it very difficult not to right now. I find it especially difficult when I see that most, if not all, of the names from ruc.dk in the Humanities board of studies section are Danish. 

 

Why does RUC have so many wonderful subject options for their Danish Students of Humanities and a measly five for its International students? Why not turn some of the Danish speaking options into English speaking options and hey presto! Problem solved! You've got the staff for it. Patrick Blackburn, for example, is an accomplished lecturer in Philosophy. I know because I had him as a lecturer in my first semester. I could say the same about Kasper Guldberg, who lectured us in Text & Sign. There you have philosophy and literature lecturers, who could easily offer courses in English, courses far more inspiring than business and international studies. And the story is true for other subjects as well.

 

So I say to RUC - If you can't cater to your International students to at least a similar standard as your Danish students then you have no right to call your course an INTERNATIONAL course. Because that is not true, is it? With a lack of English language options, the course is hardly international at all. This not only misleads potential international students, but Danish students as well; Danish students choose this course because they want to study in English. Thereby they are also let down by the system as it currently stands, though luckily they at least have a decent number of Danish subjects to choose from instead.

 

If students can't choose between at least some of the standards of the Humanities in your Bachelor of Humanities, then should it really be called a Bachelor of Humanities?

 

I'm sorry if I come across as rude, patronising or otherwise unsavoury, but I am frustrated, disappointed, angry and more. This is because of the position that RUC has put me in through lack of transparency. It's my future. That is why I am angry; I'm not going to abject mismanagement jeopardise my education and my future. Punktum.

 

So I appeal to RUC, to help us to find a solution here for all international students, because I am definitely not alone in my dismay. Is there a possibility for us to study in other houses so that we have more options which are more appealing? Perhaps we could study partly at other universities where other options are available? Is it possible for RUC to offer other courses for the next semester, to step up to the plate and offer what was promised to us? I sincerely hope there are solutions.

 

Because if there are no options, if RUC refuses to help and support its students, and to live up to its promises, then that will be nothing short of an embarrassment for the university and regret for us for having chosen RUC.

 

I hope this email will be taken seriously and that I will receive a response soon, ideally with suggested solutions or at least a willingness for dialogue. 

 

Thank you in advance for your understanding, empathy and good judgement,

 

Henry Chase Richards,

Student of HIB 3.1.1