by Sean Lin When Professor Li-Ling Tseng (曾麗玲), an expert on the Irish novelist James Joyce, recently assumed the role of department chair, she immediately realized that she would be wandering in an intricate labyrinth of departmental affairs more mind-bogglingly complex than Joyce’s landmark novel, Ulysses. She would have to sail the department carefully between Scylla and Charybdis, during a difficult time for any program in the humanities. In a recent interview with Professor Tseng, she revealed her vision for the future of the department, especially her opinions about the undergraduate curriculum, and also offered some invaluable advice for those who are still struggling to find the meaning of an education in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures (DFLL). Anyone who looks at the graduation requirements for our undergraduate program will notice a substantial percentage, among the highest in Taiwan, of literature courses, which has been a cause of widespread confusion, if not discontent, among many students. As a professor of English literature, Professor Tseng defended this position. “No language can be separated from the cultural context that nourishes it,” she said. She believes that everyone benefits from training in literature courses, even those students who have no interest in an academic or literary career. Studying literature can develop one’s ability to think critically and to argue persuasively, which will be a priceless asset in any career path. She suggested that students should, at the very least, view their reading assignments as intellectual exercises through which they can enhance their capacity for comprehending complex texts. Besides, many classic literary works are not dull at all. On the contrary, they are actually quite entertaining. “I often find jokes in Joyce’s writing, much to my surprise and delight,” she said.
In addition to the department’s signature literature courses, another essential part of our undergraduate curriculum is English language training. Professor Tseng expressed her concern that the current core language courses are not rigorous enough to motivate students to surpass themselves. She wants to increase the intensity of these courses in the freshman and sophomore years in order to ensure that students will be adequately prepared for more advanced levels. Although deciding upon common courses for all students in such a diverse department is not an easy task, she considers it necessary that every student attain a high level of proficiency in English. “Our students ought to fulfill the high expectations they set for themselves when they enroll in the department.” One of the strengths that distinguishes our department from others in Taiwan is the astonishingly wide range of options for second foreign languages, and Professor Tseng urges students to make full use of them. “Learning foreign languages can broaden your perspective on life,” she mused, “and it often leads you to some untrodden paths you never expected.” She suggested that students see the new languages they are learning as precious opportunities to learn about the world and to explore their inner selves. “Some of my former students felt lost in the middle of their lives,” she recalled, “and they discovered their genuine passions in new fields that these languages introduced to them.” Learning foreign languages can indeed be a transforming experience; nevertheless, it also demands considerable effort, if not single-minded devotion. “A half-hearted attempt will probably not get you very far,” she warned. After bombarding Professor Tseng with a series of difficult questions concerning the curriculum for almost an hour, at the end of our interview I raised the issue of employment, perhaps the thorniest one for most students, but she did not evade the question at all. Even in an era of rapid social change and lingering economic uncertainty, she still remains positive about the prospects of the department and believes that its training can give graduates an edge over their competitors, because they have learned to be sensitive to subtle nuances and have acquired a sophisticated understanding of the human soul. Despite such confidence, she also admitted that students should be aware of the serious challenges they face in the job market after graduation. She offered some constructive advice. “Regardless of which career you choose, you must acquire total mastery of your craft,” she said, “and you also have to bear in mind that sometimes proficiency in foreign languages alone is not sufficient for you to secure a good job.” She recommended that students take advantage of the abundant resources in both the department and the university to cultivate their talents, so that they may rise to the new challenges of our time. With a gentle smile, Professor Tseng told me that a department chair is not a dictator who wields absolute power, but a mediator who facilitates the operation of departmental affairs. “I am at the service of both faculty and students,” she added. Nonetheless, the responsibility falling on her shoulders is more tremendous. Every decision she makes, however minor it may seem at the moment, can influence the direction in which the department is moving. “As the department chair, I need to have a clear and comprehensive vision,” she said. Sitting at her desk in the Department Chair’s Office and reading the pile of documents that awaited her approval, to my eyes it seemed that Professor Tseng had prepared herself well for the daunting task in the next three years. I believe that we can expect this expert on modern English fiction to bring to us a new chapter of the fascinating tale that the department has told for more than half a century. a
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Authors
The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
|