Office of the Provost

Dear Students,

As part of our ongoing commitment to providing you with the best possible educational experience, we want to make you aware of some important work we’re doing to review our academic program offerings. On Friday, we sent a message to faculty and staff about the evaluation of programs with low enrollment and completion (graduation) rates. That message also included information about a new panel called the Higher Education Financial Sustainability Advisory Board, which was created by a state law that took effect on July 1.

This process to review academic programs began earlier this year and is essential to ensure that the programs we offer meet your needs and prepare you for future success. It’s important to note that reviewing a program doesn’t mean it’s going away. In many cases, this evaluation helps us focus on ways to increase awareness and enrollments in programs that are undersubscribed, or it may lead to combining programs to create a stronger cohort experience for students. Sometimes, there are programs that no longer meet student demand, and in those cases, we may decide it’s time to sunset them. Just like there are programs we offered 30 years ago that we no longer have today, our academic offerings need to evolve with the changing interests of students and the job market.

We have heard from students that because of this review process, some faculty have made statements suggesting a particular class will no longer be taught or a major may no longer be available in the future. Some students have been understandably surprised and concerned by such statements, but please keep in mind that at this point not a single major has been closed or modified as a result of this review process. Additionally, an unexpected announcement from a faculty member in class is not how such news would be shared with students. Any time a program stops enrolling, closes, or undergoes extensive modification, we create detailed plans to allow current students to complete their degrees. If a major is sunset or modified, students in the major would receive written communications from their department head and advisors sharing such information.

We believe it’s important for you, as students, to be aware of this effort, understand why it’s happening, and know that you are always welcome to ask questions about how it may affect you or future students. For more detailed information, you can read the full message sent to faculty and staff.

We encourage you to reach out if you have any questions or concerns, and we will continue to keep you updated as this work progresses.

Sincerely,

Anne D’Alleva, Ph.D.
Provost & Executive Vice President

Fany Hannon, Ed.D.
Dean of Students