‘Andele, andele! Arriba, Arriba!” That’s the entirety of the Spanish that I learned while at Northwestern. OK, well maybe I learned that from Speedy Gonzalez. But looking back, it may as well have been the only Spanish I learned at NU.

The other day I was talking to my roommate, a fellow history major. We were discussing our history classes and how happy we had been with all of them. My friend commented, “History is a great department.” I had to agree and also said really every department at NU is first-rate. But my roommate disagreed.

“Not Spanish,” he remarked.

I had to admit he was right. Although I haven’t taken a Spanish class in a while, it’s common knowledge that they are not very good. The problem I see is that the department is full of fascists.

Now don’t go and call the ambassador. I don’t mean that necessarily as an insult. The problem I see with the department is that it has a certain schedule — of readings, quizzes, midterms, etc. — but it does not let teachers change the syllabus and the department does not change it from quarter to quarter.

All students in a particular level take the same test on the same day. Each quarter the same syllabus is used. Only the names and dates are changed.

In its defense, the department says the similarity between sections ensures that everyone learns the same material. “Maintaining the syllabus … is not a matter of lack of planning or slackness,” said Sonia Garcia, director of the Spanish language program. “It is a decision taken responsibly and in accordance with the goals of the course.”

But I have a friend who’s taken many Spanish classes, studied for two quarters in Spain and is now completely fluent in the language. Earlier this quarter she was having difficulty trying to explain to one of her profs that she would be able to handle the Spanish literature course in which she was enrolled. The teacher was apprehensive, since she had not taken a prerequisite. She was fluent in Spanish.

Furthermore, the Spanish Department’s schedule can impede learning. When I took Spanish 205, many students were confused by a concept or a verb tense, but our teacher couldn’t stop and devote the time to the topic: She was required to discuss a certain day’s reading or homework by the almighty syllabus.

This wouldn’t be an issue if Weinberg didn’t have a language requirement. According to the Student Handbook, all students must “demonstrate proficiency in a classical or modern foreign language before graduation.” “Proficiency” means two years of college-level instruction.”

“Now sure,” you’re thinking. “If we have to take a foreign language and you say Spanish is so bad, we can just take another class.” Well, that’s true. Italian is interesting. And who doesn’t want to know Japanese (if for nothing more than to see Pokemon the way it was intended)?

Yet many students, myself included, find Spanish the most applicable second language in their lives. Also, many students take Spanish in high school, so it’s natural to continue it in college.

If the Spanish department doesn’t start working to let teachers teach and allow students to learn, it may find that fewer students are taking its classes. Instead of hearing students tell them, “Hasta luego,” they may start hearing, “Osaki ni!”

Dave Wiemer is a Weinberg senior. He can be reached at [email protected].