To: Sociology Department at Moscow State University

Lectori Salutem,

I'm writing you this letter because I want to express my concern about the quality of teaching in the Sociology Department at Moscow State University.

Word has reached me that the conditions of teaching are very poor. There seems to be no opportunity to attend talks by outside lecturers, exams are specified on textbooks only, there is no opportunity to follow lessons in neighboring disciplines. And these ar only a few examples.

But worse is that the student who point out these facts to the university have been arrested. If nothing is done about these poor conditions Russia will soon have no future. If the young people of Russia are educated poorly, there will be no one left to achieve great goals. All people will become unhappy doing jobs there overqualified for. No good will come from this situation.

I'm hoping this letter (amongst others) will help you to become aware of hopelesnes of this situation and it will press you to make a change.

Greetings,

Marieke Blaauw
Study advisor,
University of Groningen,
Department: Griekse en Latijnse taal en cultuur (Faculteit der Letteren).