College & University Programs
Advocacy for post-secondary programs
Quick Start Advancing Arguments Cultivating Allies Taking Action Universities Links & Resources
Just as French programs in elementary, middle, and high schools can come under threat, college and university programs can also be menaced with reduction or elimination.
The most important factors in advocating for a program under threat are:
- having a program that is current, vibrant, visible, and well-connected;
- knowing the institutional structures within which you must work;
- being tied closely with many other units on your campus;
- knowing statistics about your French program’s efficiency;
- linking your program with student recruitment;
- enlisting the support of alumni.
Here are some strategies:
The following essay lays out the basics of defending a college French program: best practices, strategies, and arguments that can be used:
This checklist helps you know where to start.
In addition, these sets of documents will give more general information that can help you to formulate strategies that are adapted to your particular college or university situation.
Click on these links to read the articles. What ideas are most compelling in your situation?
Personal Stories
- Testimonial: French, A Good Choice for High School and College (Using French to secure an internship and become multilingual)
- Testimonial: French, A Practical Language in Sports and Law (Using French in leisure and career)
- Testimonial: A More Profound World View (Life-altering experiences as a result of knowing French)
- Testimonial: Discovering Oneself and the World through French (Working in Paris because of French skills)
- Testimonial: Taking Environmental Management to Paris (Working in Paris because of ability to speak French)
- Testimonial: French Led to MBA and Life-long Friendships (French and Spanish help earn MBA, work in Spain)
- Testimonial: Multilingualism---Oh the Places You Will Go (Using French and Spanish in physical therapy)
Help Your Allies Create Testimonials (These documents can be used to create testimonials for your program)
- Testimonial Prompts (Provide this to help your allies express their support)
- Template: Release Form (Allows you to let allies know how their testimonials might be used)
15 Arguments to Frame an Advocacy Letter (Ideas you can use)
Arguments and Models (Ideas and language used by others in their advocacy documents) Framing An Advocacy Letter: Arguments and Model Letters