A professor at Duke University sent out an email last Friday asking Chinese students in the biostatistics master’s program to not speak their native language at the school and workplace, resulting in an international debate.
According to NPR, the email was sent out by Megan Neely, the former director of graduate studies in biostatistics at Duke, who claims that two of her colleagues complained to her about Chinese students speaking their native language too loudly in the study areas.
Neely sent out an email to all first- and second-year biostatistics graduate students, which stated: “PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep these unintended consequences in mind when you choose to speak in Chinese in the building. I have no idea how hard it has been and still is for you to come to the US and have to learn in a non-native language. As such, I have the upmost [sic] respect for what you are doing. That being said, I encourage you to commit to using English 100% of the time when you are in Hock or any other professional setting,” according to The News & Observer.
The email was then on social media accounts, including on Duke’s Asian Students Association Facebook page, The News & Observer reported.
Duke’s Asian Students Association then released a statement about the email, stating that for international students, speaking in their native language is a means of comfort and familiarity with their home and culture, which is often suppressed in the States.
“It is also important to indicate that one’s use of another language should not at all be an indication of deficiency in English,” the statement read. “It is ultimately extraordinarily xenophobic to believe so and should have no place in an environment like Duke.”
According to The Washington Post, Neely then apologized for her email, stating it was inappropriate, after stepping down from her role as the director of graduate studies in the biostatistics department.
“I deeply regret the hurt my email has caused,” Neely said in the statement. “It was not my intention. Moving forward, it is my sincerest wish that every student in the Master of Biostatics is successful in all of their endeavors.”
Neely will continue to be an assistant professor at Duke, according to The Independent.
According to The News & Observer, the Chinese government has commented on the situation after expressing intense criticism.
Geng Shuang, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, spoke out about the situation at his daily press briefing in Beijing, according to The News & Observer.
“If a Chinese university required that American students not use English to communicate, I think this would not be normal,” Shuang said.
Duke’s Office for Institutional Equity has been asked to conduct a review of the biostatistics master’s program and evaluate ways to improve the department for all students.
