The TCU bulletin for undergraduate studies can be some interesting reading, especially the part where it says that, “All undergraduates will have some courses in AddRan College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Science and Engineering, for a broad, liberal arts-based educational background in the humanities, natural and social sciences.”Therefore, in coming to TCU, I was looking forward to studying many varied subjects, including Latin.

Latin is, of course, the language that English, Spanish and many other languages are based on. Teresa Hudkins of Willamette University describes the language like this: “The study of Latin is also the study of history, art, music, theatre, philosophy, law, literature, laboratory science and more!” TCU’s own Dean of Admissions, Ray Brown, describes a student studying Latin as “a student who is willing to step away from the crowd.”

So you can imagine my surprise when I was looking ahead for classes I wanted to take and, while Latin was listed in subjects, there were no courses. Wiping my eyes in disbelief, I decided to call the AddRan College of Humanities and Social Sciences and correct this misprint. I asked whether TCU offered Latin, and I was told no.

When I further asked if it was because we didn’t have a professor to teach Latin or the course simply didn’t make this semester, I was told that we had no suitable professor. When asked if TCU had any plans to hire a professor for this class I was told no.

How could this be?

How could such a well-funded private, liberal arts college not offer a class many public high schools offer? While pondering this question and looking around the TCU Web site in disbelief, I ran across the highly touted TCU mission statement which says, “To educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community.”

I like that first part the best: “To educate.”

Well, TCU, acta non verba.

Erick Moen, freshman electrical engineering and broadcast journalism major.