A committee of faculty, students, and staff at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point has submitted a document with several ideas to help save some or all of the 13 programs that were proposed to be cut as part of a curriculum re-structuring proposal released in March.
Mick Veum, a professor of Physics at the University and co-chair of the program and/or units discountenance consultative committee, says the document contained several ideas that they would like to see those in power consider before making a final decision. “We’ve looked at a variety of options in terms of re-structuring, one of which is looking at a clustering model for curriculum.”
For example, instead of eliminating the German major altogether the committee would like to see remain in a scaled-back form as part of a language studies major. Veum says that would maintain the identity of the department while bringing students who are studying under similar majors together in a “home base” type atmosphere at the University.
He says the major theme of the proposal is doing more with less. “If we have to be smaller, how do we still provide the opportunities and the education that we have been able to in the past when we have been a bigger University with more personnel?”
Veum says he has taken the cause to heart because he wants what’s best for the students, both currently enrolled and those who will be enrolled in the future. “I’m not in a position to guarantee that student’s don’t have to be afraid of this. My concern that we are going to lose [some programs] is what’s motivating me as a faculty member to be involved in this committee.”
Ultimately Veum says he would like to hear from the Chancellors, Provosts, and Vice-Chancellors which ideas are viable and why. The committee says they would like to hear that feedback by August 22nd. Veum says just because they have put these new ideas out there doesn’t mean that they will stick. It’s still possible that some or all of the 13 programs could be cut.
WSAU
