<p>Do you have a son/daughter doing a semester/year in France who is affected by the student strike on French universities? How is the US university treating this situation in terms of your child's academic standing? In terms of tuition and other college payments made, are refunds going to be made or are strikes and other labor stoppages an exclusion and part of the fine print that we have to be mindful? Will there be credits issued or does this mean that the student will graduate a semester late? With the volatile and iffy situation in French universities right now, is it prudent to go through the spring semester next January?</p>
<p>All CC's great minds, please help. Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>All great questions, although I don't think most US study-abroad programs involve actual attendance at an actual French university.</p>
<p>If my kid were doing this, I would be worried about the credits and cost, too. But I would also say that nothing, nothing, would be more educational for an American kid than getting swept up in a good, old-fashioned European strike. We just don't have anything like it here anymore.</p>
<p>(I lived in Spain -- Barcelona -- for a year during high school. Among my fondest memories are dodging the riot police while chanting slogans, and watching people turn over cars and set them on fire. But back then, I could have had -- and did have -- somewhat similar experiences here.)</p>
<p>This won't be the first time French students go on strike. My sister met her future husband while demonstrating in May 1968. Generally, the strikes don't last all that long. Time to worry when they go on for several weeks. Sarko has shown that he doesn't blink when workers go on strike. I doubt students will get the better of him.</p>
<p>they're just having fun, ellen -- joking that the french are alway striking. Which is true. In France, strikes and demonstrations are an art form. Like dining. And taking vacations. </p>
<p>My daughter was there for the last strike three years ago and was taking most of her classes at the Sorbonne. She came through Columbia's program at Reid Hall and I thought at the time that Columbia did the best that it could to keep their students on track. After three or four weeks of no classes (except for those who took their course load at Reid Hall which did not shut down) Columbia brought in Sorbonne instructors to hold classes at the Reid Hall location for those who were shut out of class elsewhere. None of her credits were affected. My daughter might not have had as intense a semester academically as she was used to in NYC but she learned a great deal about the social and political structure of France first hand.</p>