By Riley Hill
Arabic studies courses for fall 2014 have been approved by the calendar approval sub-committee, a group that approves changes to the University of Calgary course calendar. This approval follows an almost four-year effort to make the courses available at the U of C.
Students’ Union vice-president academic Kenya-Jade Pinto announced the changes during the Student Legislative Council on April 9. Pinto sits on the calendar approval sub-committee where the details of the implementation of the courses were decided.
“At our last meeting, we approved the changes for the course calendar for the following year and I’m happy to report that Arabic has been included as part of those changes,” said Pinto. “These classes should be offered in fall 2014. It’s really exciting.”
The courses must get approval from the Academic Planning and Priorities Committee and the Alberta government before they are officially offered at the U of C.
“Work still needs to be done in order for full program approval . . . but this is an incredible first step and a quick response to student demand,” said Pinto.
The drive to make Arabic studies courses available at the U of C began in 2009 with a petition signed by over 200 students. Since then, SU vice-president academics have made big efforts to include the courses in the U of C course calendar.
If approved, the courses will be offered by the German, Slavic and East Asian Studies department.