The University of Connecticut is currently reviewing enrollment numbers for 70 programs, sparking concern among professors who teach them. The university is looking into programs that have graduated 100 or fewer students in a five-year period and is asking educators for ideas on how to address low enrollment.
Programs being reviewed include humanities majors like French and philosophy, as well as math and science programs like structural biology and environmental studies, among others. The UConn chapter of the American Association of University Professors is worried that the potential cuts would be a permanent solution to a temporary budget shortfall at the university.
UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz states that the reviews provide an opportunity for programs to evolve and draw more enrollment, producing graduates with a range of career paths. The reviews are due on November 1, with decisions expected to be reported at the UConn Board of Trustees meeting in December.
The Association of American University Professors plans to push back against potential cuts until then. The programs under examination for low enrollment include a wide range of majors from animal science to social work. The university maintains that the review is not targeting a specific field, but rather selecting programs based on enrollment data.
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