As many of you know, after the end of this semester, UF will no longer offer the Vietnamese and Korean language programs.
Given current global realities, however, these programs should be expanded, not cut. While many would defend the removal of these programs by stating they are unnecessary, I disagree. Removing them would rob the student body of the language skills needed to compete in the markets of Vietnam and Korea.
Currently over 40 percent of the trade between the United States and the Caribbean/South America is done through the state of Florida. The reason our state has captured such a large percentage of this trade is because of the fluent Spanish speakers that are available in Florida to conduct business with Latin America. Before the economic crisis, Vietnam had one of the fastest growing economies in Asia and that is likely to resume after global markets bounce back.
South Korea itself has the fourth largest economy in Asia.
Cutting Vietnamese/Korean programs would cause Florida to miss out on a golden opportunity to obtain a substantial portion of these Asian markets in the same way that it obtained its share of Latin America markets.
The Vietnamese/Korean programs greatly add to the diversity and international credibility of our campus. The classes for both programs are filled to capacity each semester and give students an academic opportunity that is impossible to find at most universities. President Bernie Machen stated that he believes UF will one day become a top-tier university - a rather ambitious goal.
How can he hope to accomplish this if he removes two of the programs that make UF so unique?
Instruction of Korean language skills also has national security implications. North Korea's recent announcement that it would launch a satellite has many experts speculating that it's really a test of its missile technology. This is a clear example that the situation concerning North Korea is far from becoming ideal.
Given this, U.S. agencies will continue to need fluent Korean speakers to analyze intelligence coming from North Korea.
UF needs to maintain the Korean language program to insure that the U.S. is not lacking in individuals that can speak the language should the need arise.
Once UF cuts the Vietnamese/Korean programs they will be very difficult to restore. It took 10 years for the Vietnamese language program to become a part of UF.
If cut, these programs could disappear for good.
At the very least, UF should wait a year or two before considering cutting these programs. In a few months, the money that UF receives from President Obama's stimulus package could eliminate the need to cut the programs altogether.
We shouldn't be quick to throw away something so valuable for short-term gain.
Edgar Rodriguez is a political science junior.
