<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal">Dear colleagues,</p><p class="MsoNormal">We are writing to you with some unfortunate news concerning
institutional developments at the University of Toronto, developments which
threaten the future of our Korean Studies program. Last week, it was announced
that the Department of East Asian Studies, which provides the core for our graduate
program in Korean Studies, is to be dismantled.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>A small part of the department will be reallocated to a new
School of Language and Literature while the rest of the faculty members will be
dispersed among other disciplinary departments.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>This momentous decision was made without prior notice or
consultation, despite its overwhelming importance to many of us in Toronto.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At a time when the University of
Toronto has been able to develop a vibrant and multi-faceted Korean Studies
program, the home of that program – the Dept. of East Asian Studies – is about
to be eliminated. This, of course, will have severe repercussions for our
growing graduate studies programme.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>We are hoping to reverse this decision and in this struggle
are seeking your support. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many of
us in the department – and especially in the Korean Studies programme – would
appreciate if you assist us in expressing our opposition to this move by
writing a letter to our Dean at the following address (with an electronic copy
for our records to our current interim Chair, Prof. Tom Keirstead <a href="mailto:tom.keirstead@utoronto.ca">tom.keirstead@utoronto.ca</a>).</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Prof. Meric Gerler, Dean</p><p class="MsoNormal">University of Toronto</p><p class="MsoNormal">Faculty of Arts & Science</p><p class="MsoNormal">100 St. George Street</p><p class="MsoNormal">Toronto, ON CANADA M5S 3G3</p><p class="MsoNormal">(<a href="mailto:officeofthedean.artsci@utoronto.ca">officeofthedean.artsci@utoronto.ca</a>)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">We would be most happy to answer any of your questions and would be very appreciate of your support.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal">Sincerely,</p><p class="MsoNormal">Juhn Ahn</p><p class="MsoNormal">Kyoungnok Ko</p><p class="MsoNormal">Janet Poole</p><p class="MsoNormal">Andre Schmid</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Korean Studies Faculty members, </p><p class="MsoNormal">Dept. of East Asian Studies, </p><p class="MsoNormal">University of Toronto</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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