This year's tight financial situation is causing Eastern Kentucky University officials to consider suspending a total of 21 academic programs. Senior Vice President for Academics and Provost Janna Vice brought the matter before the Board of Regents during a special meeting Thursday.
The proposed cuts are only recommendations at this point. The discussion is, in part, due to a $7 million budget reduction planned for the 2017/18 fiscal year. Any decision to suspend the academic programs would not affect current students.
Vice says the recommendation is tied to the number of students graduating in these areas. “One question would be, on any of these programs, if we were looking at starting a program today, do we believe this would be a program that would attract students to EKU,” explained Vice.
The programs under consideration for suspension include French, Geography, Journalism, and Horticulture. Faculty Regent Richard Day says not all of the 21 recommended programs may be closed out. He says some programs could also be modified. EKU’s Council on Academic Affairs and Faculty Senate will review the proposed program cuts before a final decision by the Board of Regents in December.?
