Published: October 19, 2006 10:53 pm         

37 ISU programs up for elimination

Task Force recomends cuts

TERRE HAUTE — While a recommendation to eliminate 37 academic programs hasn’t caused a firestorm of protest at Indiana State University, Sue Berta is concerned.

As the department chairwoman for geography, geology and anthropology, she is concerned about a recommendation to eliminate the master’s in geology program, included in a report released by a program prioritization committee.

Geology faculty who do research rely on graduate students for assistance, Berta said.

Without a master’s program, “They would have very great difficulty in being able to continue with their research,” and she fears they might go to another university where they can get that needed support, she said.

The department has four full-time geology faculty and two half-time appointments, with 12 students in the geology master’s program, Berta said.

The recommendations have other implications for the department.

Currently, there are bachelor’s programs in all three disciplines (geography, geology and anthropology). “We’ve been asked to rethink how we can improve or realign our programs,” she said.

In addition to the 37 programs recommended for elimination at ISU, the task force recommends an additional 58 be reorganized; 97 retained and potentially enhanced; and 22 monitored.

The report was prepared by the Program Prioritization Task Force, which was charged with making recommendations to reduce the number of programs at ISU and finding $2 million to reallocate to higher-priority programs that are yet to be identified.

Implementation of all recommendations would reduce the total number of programs at ISU from 214 to 119.

“It probably won’t work out that way in the final count,” said Karen Schmid, associate vice president for academic affairs. “Certainly we’ll have fewer programs.”

The recommendations shouldn’t come as a surprise to faculty, said Schmid, who also is co-chairman of the task force.

“We’ve worked on it for a year” and information has been on the ISU Web site for several months, she said. “We’ve tried to make it as transparent a process as possible and involve as many faculty as possible.”

Each program was reviewed by governance at the college level; deans; and the task force. Rankings were based on several criteria, including consistency with university mission; external and internal demand; quality; productivity, costs and efficiency; potential; and other factors.

Faculty government helped develop the process and criteria, she said.

Among the other programs recommended for elimination are a bachelor’s in art history; bachelor’s in recreation therapy; and some master’s programs in education, family and consumer sciences and technology education.

Now, the recommendations go to Faculty Senate committees for additional feedback, due by mid-November.

The full report and program recommendations can be found at the ISU Web site: www.indstate.edu/site/acad-aff/2757.html

The current 214 academic programs at ISU are delivered by 438 full-time faculty.

As far as the programs targeted for elimination, “Very few students will be affected,” Schmid said. For those who are, “We will make every reasonable accommodation for students so they won’t be hurt … We’ll work with them to make sure they complete the program or can complete a similar program.”

Of the 37 programs slated for discontinuation, only three have had enrollments of more than five average student head count for the past five years.

In some cases, such as in education, certain master’s degree programs are no longer needed because state licensure requirements have changed. In the past, teachers were required to earn a master’s degree eventually, but that’s no longer the case, Schmid said. Now, they have other options when they renew a teaching license.

An initial review of the report might look more drastic than it is, Schmid said. In many cases, programs will be consolidated and fewer tracks or specializations offered.

The task force report states that about 90 percent of ISU students are enrolled in 50 percent of programs. The remaining 10 percent of students are enrolled in the other 100 programs, which leads to low enrollment in many programs and classes and to low graduation numbers for many programs.

Such a large number of small programs “is not an efficient use of our limited resources,” the report said. The review confirms that “ISU offers more programs than its faculty and students can support.”

Becoming more efficient is a necessity given recent reductions in state funding for the university, which have amounted to 6 percent, or $5 million, in the past two years.

ISU also has difficulty justifying its unusually high state appropriation for in-state students, which is $1,646 more per full-time equivalent student than Ball State and $4,002 more than the University of Southern Indiana.

The university’s accrediting agency, the North Central Association, also stated in a 2000 report that ISU has too many programs for the size of the faculty and student body.

Steve Lamb, chairman of the Faculty Senate, said the process for program prioritization has been “very deliberative” and “it’s a long way from being done.”

Some of the recommendations will be readily agreed upon, but others may generate further discussion and debate. “There may be a few programs deemed essential to the nature of an academic institution that need to be revitalized,” Lamb said.

Departments can still respond to the recommendations.

Schmid doesn’t anticipate any faculty would lose their jobs because of program consolidation or elimination; they will be needed for instruction in remaining programs. Also, ISU anticipates about 50 faculty retirements in the next few years.

The board of trustees would have to give final approval before any programs are eliminated.

Program realignment and elimination will take place over the next two to three years, Schmid said. “Some of those we expect to go through early next year.”

Tony Rathburn, an assistant professor of geology, said elimination of the master’s in geology would have major ramifications. “I have a big research agenda and I want to provide undergraduates with experiential learning. Without a graduate program, both will be hampered,” he said.

He’ll continue to fight for the program. “We’re fighting tooth and nail. We’ll try everything possible to save it,” Rathburn said.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.