UA proposal to end 55 programs

[ZachTheZip]

http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/university-of-akron-proposes-end-to-55-degree-programs-1.464349

It's been over twenty years since the last time UA did an evaluation like this. It's long overdue.

[Balsy]

This will most definitely make some noise...but will go a long way towards making UA more Academically sound. However, there are VAST academic bounds that need to be leaped.

[MaxZIP]

Allegedly this will impact only 2% of enrollees. Seems like programs come and go with the times. Modern and relevant programs are a competitive advantage. I have heard of some new programs faculty are developing to provide better value to students. Many of them cross departmental lines and are pretty exciting.

[Balsy]

I cannot get the Quote feature to work!

Anywho, if that's the case MAXZip than that is really exciting. To bad I just graduated so I won't get to see those.

[Dr Z]

I cannot get the Quote feature to work!

What happens when you hit the quote button on my post (bottom right), nothing? What browser and version are you using?

[Balsy]

I am using Chrome (the most recent?)...every time I click on the quote box, it jumps down to reply section but nothing appears. I can click on the quote icon and manually put it in...but with a quote feature it'd be nice to have it work.

[Big Zip]

How will it help make Akron more academically sound? I suspect the individuals in these programs are fairly intelligent even though they are few. This will allow Akron to scale back on classes and Professors that are not profitable. The ability to save the school money on this programs is the big deal here.

[Balsy]

I'm saying more academically sound because, hypothetically of course, you would be dedicating those resources and faculty to programs that are your bread and butter. Programs that make a name for you academically, as opposed to the ones that don't...IE the ones that they are cutting. One of Sherman's goals when he came to UA was to furnish programs that can graduate students in 4 years. Agree with it or not, that is the goal.

I'm saying "academically sound" because some programs are laughable to have when there are less than a handful of students participating in them. Intelligence is relative, and we shouldn't be relying on a few individuals is fringe programs to pad the academic statistics of the university, but do a better job of admitting college ready students and hiring college quality staff. At least the former they seem to be working on.

[LZIp]

Love it love it love it. Save the uninformed/naive kids from going to college to go 50k+ in debt only to get a job at Best Buy upon graduation.

[GP1]

I have a close friend who is a professor at USC (the one in Los Angeles). One of the reasons his department really likes him is so many kids take his 300 and 400 level classes (junior/senior level classes). Because of that, his department gets much more money from tuition than they would teaching entry level classes where money is split less in their favor between departments. My guess is something like that goes on at UofA. 10 students in a major just isn't sustainable for a department.