UWS Hosts Forum for Students to Discuss Program Suspensions

University Announced Current Students Can Enroll in Suspended Programs Next Week Only

SUPERIOR, Wisc. – Earlier this week, the University of Wisconsin-Superior announced some big cuts to academic programs.

On Tuesday, students, faculty, and alumni were shocked with UW-Superior’s decision to suspend twenty-five academic programs and emotions were still running high at the student forum on Friday.

“There is a general air of no confidence in our administration here,” said Nick Isaacson, a Theatre and Digital Cinema student. “Literally, I’ve had several classes where students are so riled up about this that almost nothing gets done.”

Nine majors, one graduate program, and fifteen minors are now suspended.

“As somebody who is suspended, I don’t even know how I can re-apply to become a major,” said Khalil Dokhanchi, a Political Science Professor. “There are so many gaping holes in this policy.”

Today, UWS administrators held a forum for students to share their thoughts.

“We knew there would be questions around the decisions that were made earlier this week, so we wanted to provide students the opportunity to come to a forum and have that open discussion and dialogue and get their questions answered,” said Brenda Harms, Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management.

After students suggested it earlier this week, the administration announced today that current students will be able to enroll in the suspended majors and minors during next week only. Prospective and incoming students will still not be able to choose those programs.

“We will open a one week period and give students that opportunity,” said Harms. “We wanted to be responsive to that concern that they had.”

But faculty and students in the suspended programs aren’t satisfied.

“The majors in any given program are the driving force and if you remove that, you’re removing as much enthusiasm as you can and it makes it hard to rebuild from that point up,” said Isaacson.

Many are calling for a community-wide discussion to find a better solution to the administration’s concern of too many majors overwhelming first generation students.

“I would like to have a campus dialogue about what the needs are and also what we need to do,” said Dokhanchi.

For now, students and alumni are making their voices heard with the hope of change coming in the future.