ASU is planning to terminate 29 academic programs in the coming semesters to save money and eliminate duplicate programs within the University.
The two undergraduate and 27 graduate programs have a combined 500 students and are part of more than 50 academic programs approved for disestablishment since 2008.
Programs to be eliminated include the industrial engineering master’s program, master of science in biochemistry and master of arts in communications. The two undergraduate studies being removed are the engineering special studies program and the housing and community development program.
The changes are part of ASU’s academic strategic plan for the 2011-2012 school year, and the programs were chosen primarily because of low enrollment. The Arizona Board of Regents’ Academic Affairs Committee approved the plan Jan. 31.
“Faculty retirements, budget cuts and low student enrollment … were the three major reasons [the programs were selected for disestablishment],” said Suzanne Painter, director of the division of educational leadership and innovation for West campus. “Those, and just consolidating for more efficiency.”
Students currently enrolled will be able to complete their degrees, but no new applicants will be accepted, said Maria Allison, executive vice provost for Academic Affairs and dean of the Graduate College.
The allotted time frame for students to complete their degrees varies by program, depending on current enrollment and how far along the students are in their degree program.
Unless students take an excessive amount of time to complete their degrees, they should be able to continue uninterrupted in their original program, Painter said.
“In many cases, the way it works out, the students don’t even really know the program is going away because it doesn’t happen until after they have graduated,” she said.
Painter also said the consolidation of programs will increase efficiency by eliminating programs that exist in other parts of the University.
“I don’t think they are being negatively affected, especially in the master’s programs,” she said. “In many cases, students with [specific] interests will have another program their work could fall under. We’re hoping the students will see there are other programs for them.”
Although the 29 programs have been approved for disestablishment, the decision will not be finalized until after an internal review process.
Until that time, no notice will be given to students or faculty.
“Once the process is complete, and if a program is disestablished, students and faculty are immediately notified,” Allison said.
However, Painter said applications for all 29 programs have been closed and the paperwork has begun.
Students from some programs have been notified while others have not.
Elma Delic, chair of the Arizona Students’ Association, said the lack of notification is a real concern.
“The students and even the faculty members were not sufficiently notified that their programs were going to be disestablished,” she said. “While it's important that these students are able to continue in their programs, the lack of transparency in elimination of 29 programs is extremely alarming.”
Industrial engineering master’s candidate Mark Jenkins said he is not concerned about receiving no official notification since he should be able to finish his degree.
“I am posed to complete the program by spring 2013 at the latest,” he said. “I have not been told of any impacts to that plan.”
The academic strategic plan will also implement six new undergraduate programs and 11 new graduate programs, beginning as early as next fall.
The new undergraduate degrees include food industry management, alternative energy entrepreneurship and sustainable tourism.
New graduate programs include health care delivery, interior architecture and global technology and development.
Painter said both the new programs and the elimination of duplicate programs should be beneficial to the University as a whole and that students can be assured the impact will be minimal.
“We have always been very committed to making sure our current students finish their degrees without a hitch,” Painter said. “We’ve worked very hard with past programs that have been disestablished to make sure that happens, and we will continue to do that.”
Reach the reporter at keshoult@asu.edu
