CASPER, Wyo— An academic program review committee established by the University of Wyoming is unanimous in its recommendations to preserve the Creative Writing MFA and American Studies programs.
Though in low demand, the committee also recommended further review of the Bachelor’s programs in Spanish, French and German education, as eliminating them would produce minimal savings.
The Academic Planning Committee (APC) was established late last year to address a $42.3 million budget reduction in funding to UW in the current biennium resulting from a 10% cut in state funding. It was tasked with reviewing programs fro elimination or restructuring.
UW’s creative writing program has “the highest number of inquiries of any masters- level program at UW,” according to Anne Alexander, associate vice provost for undergraduate education.
The APC said it was “exactly the kind of forward-looking program that advances UW’s priorities.” It further found that a proposed expansion in the program’s five-year plan would bring in an additional $210,000 annually due to high-demand and interest from students both nationally and abroad.
The American Studies program was recommended to be merged with the School of Culture, Gender, and Social Justice, “a merger that will fit both programs quite well,” the APC found.
Several programs have had no students for several years and were unanimously recommended for elimination, including:
- Psychology Master of Arts
- Master of Science in Teaching in Chemistry and History
- Joint program between Veterinary Sciences and Zoology
The School of Science Degree in journalism was recommended for elimination, as “students in this program can easily change to the Journalism BA degree.”
The committee prefaced its recommendations with a slight caveat:
“No guidance was given as to why programs were identified to be eliminated and how to evaluate cost savings or other measures to justify elimination,” the APC wrote to Alexander.
A resolution supporting the APC’s findings will be considered for adoption at the UW Board of Trustee’s meeting on Wednesday, Feb 16.
