UConn Officials: Most "Small" Academic Programs Under Review To Stay

STORRS, CT — The "vast majority" of "small academic programs" currently under review by University of Connecticut administrators are expected to remain in place when the school provost's office presents its recommendations next week to the UConn Board of Trustees, officials said Monday.

School officials last spring initiated a review of what were termed "low enrollment and/or low completion programs" and have been working with deans and department heads in recent weeks on final determinations, which will be presented to the board and its Academic Affairs Committee.

UConn officials said the review is a "standard process" at universities nationwide and is designed to helps schools maintain "the right balance of programs to support its institutional mission, meet students' needs, and make the best use of its resources." It also served as an organizational tool to "identify and remove" majors from the catalog that had already been suspended in previous years but were never taken off the books, and to help build interest in small majors that have the capacity to enroll more students, officials said.

The UConn Provost’s Office has said throughout the process that "very few majors" would be affected, especially since many have specific "pedagogical or accreditation reasons" for their small size.

Of the 205 programs identified with low enrollment and/or low completion rates, at least 145 will remain in place with "some modifications and improvements," and 36 others remain under review with no decision made yet, officials said.

Five small academic programs with "very few enrolled students" would be recommended for suspension and six concentrations would be consolidated under two majors, according to a preliminary review.

School officials said that the university has "reassured students" that it has "teach-out" plans to let them finish any discontinued major.

The review also found 13 programs still on the books that had already closed and/or were winding down due to previous decisions, officials said.

The specific current programs being considered for suspension or consolidation were not outlined Monday, and will be discussed next week as the UConn Trustees gather.