On April 6, DU announced the imminent closure of the English Language Center (ELC) on June 30. The more than 40-year-old institution provided English classes and support to incoming international students, faculty, domestic students and Denver community members. The closure came as a surprise to staff, some of whom had worked at the center for more than 10 years. 

“It was really sad. It came as a shock,” said ELC Program Manager Rachel DeDeyn. “I know that no one in our department had any idea that this was happening, and we still haven’t been given information on how exactly this decision was made.”

In a statement to the Clarion, Vice Provost Uttiyo Raychaudhuri said the decision was based on an evaluation of the last four years which found declining enrollment in the ELC’s pre-collegiate English learning program.

“The university was investing large resources in the pre-collegiate program, and this was hindering its ability to allocate resources to collegiate students,” said Raychaudhuri. “The previous model had become unsustainable and led to the reorganization.”

However, to ELC staff, this explanation came off as apathetic to the work they have put in.

“Everyone at the ELC has worked really hard to support English language learners in our community—whether that was DU employees, immigrants or international students—we have all put so much time and effort into supporting those students,” said DeDeyn. “To see our work devalued was really sad.”

ELC Associate Director Tim Robinson recognizes the decision as a pecuniary one, but he considers it to be a long-term mistake that will depreciate the university’s collegiate experience.

“This is a budget move, but it feels like they are not really committed to that,” said Robinson. “Study abroad seems to be what the school is more interested in, the idea of sending students out rather than bringing them in, and I think that is a big mistake. We really need to do both to give a holistic international experience.”

Robinson went on to explain that nearly one-third of all international students on campus came through the ELC. DeDeyn believes that this decision will decrease international student enrollment.

“There is definitely value to the pre-collegiate experience,” said DeDeyn. “The ELC is a first point of contact for a lot of international students, as they have a positive experience and want to continue studying here. It’s a pipeline of students into the university. Talking about pre-collegiate classes and experiences as if they are unimportant is a mistake.”

Nonetheless, Raychaudhuri claims the university is still dedicated to maintaining a diverse environment on-campus.

“We believe that diverse communities are stronger as well as more resilient and productive,” he said. “This belief informs our commitment to provide the structures and programming needed to ensure individuals from all backgrounds feel welcome and supported.”

Raychaudhuri assured that students who are currently enrolled with the ELC will be supported through the summer, but no replacement services or programs have been announced for future students. 

But the pre-collegiate programs are not all that the ELC provides. DeDeyn heads a community English language program that serves DU employees and immigrants in the Denver community. Robinson explained that while the program is not overly profitable, it provided a necessary community service. 

“We created a new community program that was really growing because it provided English classes to local refugees and immigrants at a  low cost,” said Robinson. “That low cost may not look good to the administration, but it reflects the mission statement of the university” 

As for the ELC staff, they now find themselves searching for work in the midst of a global pandemic that not only has injured the job market but strangled the life out of their field.

“It’s not fun to be looking for a new job right now,” said DeDeyn. “I’ve probably applied to 20 plus positions. The thing that makes it really hard is that the pandemic has killed our career field. The problems that the ELC has been facing are hitting every intensive English program in the country.”

Raychaudhuri claims that the university “is working diligently to provide extended supports for the impacted employees.” He mentioned that the employees were given 12 weeks’ notice and are being assisted with career support guidance through shared services. 

But to ELC staff, it isn’t the job they lament—it is the work and the people. 

“What we did, we did very well for a long time,” said DeDeyn.

Reminiscing on this, she remembered a student of hers whose experience summed up the work and mission of the ELC. He joined the program with lower English qualifications than what was customary. 

“When he was still in our program, he failed one of our levels,” said DeDeyn. “He was very demoralized by that, and he was talking about going home. I knew that he wanted to start learning about law, so I reached out to a friend in the state court who helped him find someone to shadow. That kept him engaged and in our program, so he could finish and eventually go to law school.”

After he graduated from the ELC, DeDeyn stayed in contact with him. He went on to law school and has since graduated. With the loss of the ELC, stories like this are less probable if not improbable. 

Despite the decrease in services, personnel, programs and resources, DU remains confident that this closure will not negatively impact the campus environment. While they may not agree with the decision, the soon-to-be departed or reorganized staff simply ask that the ELC’s work be remembered. 

“I really want it [the ELC] to be celebrated,” said Robinson. “I want people to think of it whenever they walk by the building and to care about the people that used to work there.”

For more information on the ELC and what it did for Denver and DU, you can use the linked website archive engine to see glimpses of the site before it was gutted.