Historically Black Savannah State University in Georgia has announced the establishment of an English Language Institute as part of its International Education Center. Beginning in January, the English Language Institute will offer English classes for non-native speakers. The programs will be for nondegree-seeking students who will be encouraged to continue on to degree programs once they become proficient in the English language.
Instruction will be available in listening/speaking, grammar, reading, and computer-assisted language learning. Emmanuel Naniuzeyi, director of the university’s International Education Center, said that he hopes the new programs “will help internationalize our campus and foster greater understanding of diverse cultures.”
It would serve Savannah State University(SSU) to create a Cancer Institute as compared to an English Language Institute (ELI). Thereby, SSU can thoroughly and scientifically examine the incidence rate of cancers due to the close proximity of the nuclear power plants to the surrounding Black communities. It’s amazing how an HBCU can create and ELI, but, no African Language Institute (ALI) in 2014. Something is inherently wrong with this picture and doesn’t pass the “smell test” by any measure. This flawed initiative is another example of how many HBCUs are becoming the higher education petri dish to everybody else except for themselves.