Le repaire des euro-américains et euro-africains

Tout comme à Poitiers, les sciences-pistes rémois profitent d’un campus rénové et d’un nouveau directeur. Tilman Turpin a été remplacé l’année dernière Nathalie Jacquet, qui a rejoint l’administration parisienne. Les 1200 étudiants sont installés dans un ancien collège jésuite vieux de 400 ans – la continuité de Sciences Po jusque dans le choix des bâtiments. Camille Ibos, en Euram, se dit très satisfaite du lieu d’études, tout comme Emilie en première année en Euraf: “Les professeurs viennent facilement de Paris, et comme on peut tout faire à pied ou à vélo en ville, on est beaucoup plus autonomes et sociables qu’ailleurs” affirme-t-elle. Sabine Audelin, en première année Euram, est plus mitigée surtout vis-à-vis de la localisation du campus, dont l’isolement empêche de se mélanger aux autres étudiants.

Le cursus franco-américain propose un vaste choix de cours entièrement en anglais. Les étudiants du programme Afrique – dont beaucoup en sont originaires – peuvent de leur côté étudier le portugais, l’arabe ou le swahili. Ces derniers sont plutôt sous-représentés avec une promo de seulement 106 étudiants. Par ailleurs, un certain nombre d’entre eux étaient loin d’être spécialisés en études africaines avant leur rentrée à Sciences Po, à l’image de Chiara Pinto, en deuxième année, et Emilie, qui confie : “Je ne connaissais rien de ce continent, je partais de zéro, il s’agissait d’une découverte totale”.

Un campus ouvert à la spécialisation et au parcours civique

Les grands points de la réforme ont été plutôt bien reçus, d’après les dires des étudiantes interrogées. Tout comme au Havre, à Nancy et à Poitiers, on juge le choix des majeures plutôt positif. Chiara Pinto apprécie la reconnaissance du Collège U en tant que licence et le choix de spécialisation qui, dit-elle, permet de se sentir plus actif dans la construction de son cursus.

Le stage civique de 1A s’avère lui aussi plutôt concluant. Pour Mathilde, en 1A en programme Euram, “un mois, ce n’est pas un petit stage d’une semaine. On va pouvoir être vraiment en immersion, découvrir la réalité du terrain, et je trouve que c’est une super motivation pour la fin de l’année, on se dit que c’est une récompense pour avoir bossé toute l’année”. La moitié des étudiants a ainsi suivi son stage dans son pays d’origine.

En revanche, les stages civiques n’ont pas été autorisés en Afrique pour les étudiants qui ne possèdent pas la nationalité du pays de destination. Pour cause, l’administration de Sciences Po souhaite éviter le « volontourisme » et le complexe du White Savior. Une décision compréhensible, mais critiquée par les étudiants visant une carrière dans l’humanitaire.

Tensions et revendications chez les Eurafs

L’un des points de tension les plus clairs de la réforme est celui des cours centrés sur les études africaines. En première année, les élèves n’ont suivi aucun cours sur les thématiques africaines, mise à part une “école d’hiver” qui, à leur yeux, ne peut pas rattraper deux semestres de connaissances. Emilie renchérit: “On a aussi le sentiment que nos professeurs n’y connaissent rien à l’Afrique. Quand des étudiants, souvent eux-mêmes originaires d’Afrique, posent une question assez pointue, ils ne savent parfois pas y répondre”. Au final, un seul cours porte sur leur zone de spécialisation, intitulé « mémoire et patrimoine en Afrique subsaharienne» et obtenu par les “students representatives” c’est-à-dire deux représentants étudiants élus par programme des 1A de l’année dernière.

“Dans nos cours d’histoire et d’IP, on n’en parle pas du tout, même nos exemples ne portent pas sur l’Afrique” déplore l’étudiante. D’après Emilie, certains vont jusqu’à demander la possibilité de continuer des langues européennes tout en ayant un choix de langues africaines plus varié. Les revendications ne se limitent pas aux études africaines : si les étudiants du programme nord-américain disposent de cours entièrement dispensés en anglais, certains notent un manque de matières intégrant des éléments centrés sur leur zone géographique.

Enfin, une demande rituelle des campus délocalisés concerne celle des cours en présentiel, sachant que le cours d’économie se déroule exclusivement en vidéo.

La communication ratée de l’administration

Plus encore que sur d’autres campus, on ressent chez les étudiantes interviewées une certaine frustration vis-à-vis de la communication de l’administration. La réunion avec Bénédicte Durand de l’année dernière a été reçue de manière très mitigée. “On a l’impression que même l’administration est un peu dépassée, ils ne savent pas quoi accepter ou non pour les stages. Ils amènent plein de réformes d’un coup, mais même les profs ne savent pas ce qu’il se passe, tout le monde est un peu perdu. On a envie de leur dire de se poser, de réfléchir à leur projet puis de nous le présenter ensuite” s’explique Emilie, en première année d’Euram. Chiara Pinto, en 2A Euraf, avoue pour sa part : “Quand la doyenne du collège universitaire est venue sur le campus présenter la maquette de 2A sans nous donner de réponses quant au programme et à son avenir, […]  je me suis sentie très en colère face à sa réaction et à ses explications”.

Les “students rep” élues Loriane Henninot et Selma Godhri ont été largement sollicitées par les étudiants sur la question des études africaines, et ont pu communiquer avec la direction. Avec un beau succès, puisque les 1A de cette année ont obtenu un cours sur les humanités africaines.

L’année s’annonce donc encore intéressante à plus d’un égard sur le campus de Reims, avec une réforme encore en mutation qui va sans aucun doute avoir à s’adapter aux ressentis et aux revendications des élèves, avec comme constante leur envie d’une spécialisation plus approfondie.

Céleste Relave

Un article de Diana Glebova pour le Sundial Press

The first day of Sciences Po’s Weekend Intercampus (WEIC) 2017 tournament would prove to be memorable, despite the frigid temperatures in Poitiers. With teams representing Euram, Euraf, Nancy, Le Havre, and Poitiers, the competition was tough. But nonetheless, the male and female Euram and Euraf rugby and football teams played to their strengths, had tremendous success and had immense support from the sidelines.

« It’s all about physical play »

1:00 p.m. marked the beginning of the WEIC competition, with the male Euram and Euraf teams facing off in both football and rugby. In football, second year student Antoine Humbert would take an early lead for Euram, scoring a point in the first few minutes of the game. Euraf would play a strong defensive, but the early lead would take the Euram team to victory, winning against Euraf with a score of 1-0.   

« Baptiste Gaultier had his entire shirt ripped off in the first match ! He was so into it he didn’t even notice. »

Benoit Seville, second year student and member of the Euram team stated, “It was a tough game, the field conditions were shitty, but we practice with Euraf so we know how they play. It’s all about physical play and setting up tall defenders with getting an early lead.” The rugby field was also a battle of the Reims campus, with the Euram and Euraf teams playing a fierce, physical game. A Euraf rugby player commented, “Baptiste Gaultier had his entire shirt ripped off in the first match! He was so into it he didn’t even notice.” Gautier would continue to be the star of the WEIC, sliding through the mud like a penguin in a later match. The final score would stand at 5-1 with the Euram team taking the victory.

A capital support provided by the Afrobeat group

On the women’s side, the Euram football team played a fierce game against Le Havre, winning with a score of 4-0. Cata Espinoza was a key player on offense, despite her adventure catching a train, bus and taxi to get to Poitiers on time for her match. The women’s team had quick footwork and unstoppable offence throughout the day, and continued to catch the other team off guard with their great communication. The women’s Euraf team was stronger than ever this year. Pauline Brosseron, a second year Euraf player commented, “we always had problems with numbers, but this year we are back! This year is the first time Euraf is representing all the teams.” Indeed, the Euraf women’s and men’s teams across the board were powerful opponents, and a first year Euraf student stated that it was due to the tremendous support from the Afrobeat music group, who were present for every goal scored and showed their unwavering support.

« This year is the first time Euraf is representing all the teams. »

The Euram women’s rugby team was a powerhouse and won against every opponent, with a tie vs. Nancy. Despite their domination on the field, Emma Jeangeorge, a second year Euram, stated, “It’s very difficult because many players are hurt, there are not enough people to replace us at time outs, we are tired it’s very intense.” Due to the lack of players available, the rugby matches were forced to diminish their numbers to five per team.

Along with the furious performances on the field, everyone agreed that the best part of the WEIC was the atmosphere. Creative chants, musical instruments, waving flags, and costumes were vital sources of inspiration for the players and for the spectators, with Sciences Po’s Le Havre campus providing multiple K-pop and Bollywood dance sessions. Nadja Petrovic, a first year Euram football player, exclaimed, “the best part of the WEIC is being able to meet people from Sciences Po campuses and the contagious atmosphere from our supporters.”

Un article d’Alice Bello pour le Sundial Press

This year, 32 students in the Europe-African program were admitted through the national procedure, a grueling admissions process. For the more stressed and masochistic – myself included – they started preparing for Sciences Po the previous summer, sacrificing ten glorious days of vacation to be locked in a stuffy classroom to cram historical and mathematical knowledge into their brains in preparation for the written exam. Then came the time to submit their applications in January, pass the infamous written exam in February, receive the results of the written exam in March, pass the oral exam in May, and find out if they were admitted to Sciences Po in June, after the baccalaureate ends. It sounds like a handful – that’s because it is.

25% didn’t apply to the program

Of these 32 students, only 24 of them listed the Europe-Africa program as one of their two programs of choice. That’s right, you heard it here first: Eight students (25%!) accepted to the Europe-Africa program by the national procedure didn’t actually apply to it, and I’m the eighth of that lucky crowd.

We Eurafs distinguish ourselves with the color orange and a cute-looking elephant; we are a large family, and we march to the rhythm of our own drum (or should I say, of our own djembe). The only problem is that I hadn’t applied to be part of this family. Far from it, I had poured my heart and soul into the Euro-African program’s slightly purpler, American counterpart. Yes, you’ve read the last sentence correctly: I went from being a die-hard, aspiring Euram to a slightly confused Euraf.

« I went from being a die-hard, aspiring Euram to a slightly confused Euraf. »

Sure, you’ll tell me that with the new reform, I’ll be studying the same subjects as the Euram students; I’ll be allowed to study in North America in my third year. You’ll tell me that virtually, the only difference between the Euro-American and Euro-African program is the language they are taught in, but the injustice does not just lay in a paltry language.

Sciences Po, an offer you can’t refuse

To be frank, I consider the injustice to be bigger than that. I view the application process as a contract. I apply to a program from your school and you either consider me fit for it or you reject me. If you can’t keep up your end of this contract, then we are on unequal terms (for all the business buffs out there, be indulgent, I did the L section of the baccalaureate). I admit I had the right to refuse the place offered to me in the program I didn’t ask for, but let’s be honest: Sciences Po is Sciences Po, it’s an offer you just can’t refuse.

« We need to make sure we balance out the number of students in each course »

I’m not here to complain or start a revolution, I’m merely putting pen to paper to divulge a discrepancy in the way the admission process is handled. Perhaps the board of admissions saw something in my application that screamed ‘Africa!’ but when I asked them to justify their decision I was left with something along the lines of: “We need to make sure we balance out the number of students in each course” and “our decision was based on your motivation and the elements contained in your application”.

A random proccess ?

Did I mention all 8 of these students transferred to the Europe-Africa program are female? I’m not one to make assumptions, but it certainly leads one to reconsider Sciences Po’s motivations: was their decision to transfer 8 female students to the Europe-Africa program based on a quota they had to respect? It would be contradictory for a school so implicated in male-female parity to put numbers ahead of a woman’s right to a certain program. If this isn’t the case, then what criteria were used to choose these eight students? Was it because, in their eyes, the profiles of these students corresponded to the Europe-Africa course better? If not, were we just chosen at random?

The international procedure, on the other hand, is void of a written exam. Not only that, but their admissions results are released months before those of the national procedure. It could be that the board of admissions accepted ‘too many’ male students from the international procedure and therefore had to counter this imbalance by accepting more female students from the national procedure. Once again, this is a simple hypothesis, but perhaps not enough women had applied to the Europe-Africa program and thus had to be taken from the North-American program? The only thing I know for sure, is that there is a lack of transparency regarding this decision.

« It could be that the board of admissions accepted ‘too many’ male students from the international procedure and therefore had to counter this imbalance by accepting more female students from the national procedure. »

I would be lying if I didn’t tell you that initially, I was frustrated, uneasy at the idea of being part of the Europe-Africa program. I would be lying to you even more if I said I had come to terms with being in the Europe-Africa program, but truth be told, the warmth of those in the Europe-Africa program have made the transition all the more easy.

That being said, I am only one of the eight. I’ve had the opportunity to speak to my fellow Euram to Euraf transfer students, and most of them have assured me that they are ecstatic to be a member of the Euraf family. The board of admissions certainly isn’t the antichrist: they have given us the opportunity to study at one of the best universities in France, but aren’t we entitled to know why our choice of program wasn’t respected?

Alice is a Parisian New Yorker or a New Yorkan (is that a word?) Parisianer (that’s probably not a word either) hoping to conquer the world of journalism one day. Interests include drinking coffee, reading the New York Times, and reading the New York Times while drinking coffee. The Parisian New Yorker runs the first Thursday of every month.

Un article de Madeline Covino pour le Sundial Press

On July 3, the students of Sciences Po Campus of Reims received an email from Director Nathalie Jacquet, announcing the end of her nearly seven year long tenure as Director of the Reims Campus as well as her impending move to the Paris campus. There, she will replace Brigitte Taittinger-Jouyet as head of the Strategy and Development department and will work to “define a strategy of cooperation between Sciences Po and different important networks…” through donors, corporations, and alumni.

What does this means for the future of Reims ?

Despite the shuffling of administrators that has occurred on the Reims Campus in recent months, it is important to note that Jacquet has been acting director since the campus opened in 2010.  Her role was an all encompassing one; Jacquet was tasked with ensuring the opening of the Euro-American campus as well as monitoring campus construction, hiring teachers, and participating in the admissions process. Director Jacquet describes her initial role as possessing  an almost “start-up” quality to it, but over the years it has become a more developmental one as the campus has grown and works towards its eventual status as Science Po’s primary undergraduate campus. 

Jacquet’s move to the Paris campus, while in no way unprecedented, leaves many students questioning the future of the Reims campus. For second year students, only one of the original three faces of the Reims campus remain; what is the reasoning behind the changes in administration and what does this mean for the future of Sciences Po Campus of Reims? 

Tilman Turpin as the new Director

Jacquet attributes the administrational changes to the school’s status as the flagship campus of the Collège Universitaire. “The Reims campus has to implement the strongest organizational and managerial standards to ensure its stability for the future” argues Jacquet. “The new organization with a deputy director in charge of academic affairs allows an efficient management of the Euram, Euraf and Exchange programs. We are transitioning to a more structured and reinforced organization. It has also entailed the recruitment of a new academic advisor, a planning coordinator, and more teaching fellows.”

As for the future of the school, Mr. Tilman Turpin will take over as Director upon Madame Jacquet’s departure. Turpin spent several years with the College Dean’s office followed by four years as director of Sciences Po Campus of Poitiers. Jacquet noted that students should not expect to see the role of director change and that the idea is to “ensure continuity and stability.” While Jacquet stresses that there were to be no major changes in the way that campus will be headed, she did promote some major reforms coming to the Reims Campus in the near future.

Positive changes to expect

Student Life Coordinator Rachel Skowronski will be heading up the implementation of a parcours civique starting in the end of 2017, resulting in the hiring of an additional student life advisor. The new building under construction that students have witnessed this past year will finally open and it will house a new amphitheater with seating for 600 students in addition to a larger cafeteria and more classrooms. Finally, in the next few months students will see the implementation of the undergraduate study reforms at Sciences Po which “will concern the newly arrived students.”

Students should expect rather significant changes in the upcoming months. Though most of them appear to be working towards a more efficient, larger, better-run campus, that does not come without a bit of initial discomfort, despite Jacquet’s statements to the contrary. The frequent change in administrators (from Campus Director to the impending change in Student Life Advisor) have left many a student feeling set-adrift, but Jacquet assures them that the future of the campus is in good hands and that they should expect positive changes in the months to come.