In September 2012, Emory University announced that it would be phasing out departments in the college. The Emory Wheel reported that the University was closing the education, visual arts, and journalism departments. Emotions ran high, and members of the Emory community voiced their opinions on the matter in any forum they could find. Many students wrote opinions in the wheel, expressing frustration and sadness at the decision.
While Emory is well regarded across the nation for its pre-professional tracks, there remain many students who come here to study subjects only found at liberal arts colleges.
Students are sometimes surprised to find that while they are liberal arts majors at a liberal arts college, they are still the minority amongst their peers. Many say that they find it challenging to pursue their course of study due to pressures from other students and their parents.
Following the decision to eliminate programs, the Emory faculty voted to make a review committee that would analyze the department changes process in the college. The vote came after faculty raised concerns with how and why the programs were eliminated so swiftly.
In visual arts specifically, professors were adamant that lack of enrollment was not a valid reason for the elimination of the program, as the department continues to be in demand amongst undergraduate students.
After the decision was announced, students had to rush to finish their majors before the classes they needed were no longer offered. While the school did provide students with the means to finish their majors, some argue that the majors may have been expedited at the expense of the quality of learning.
In January of 2014, the results of the Process Review Committee were announced. According to the Wheel, The Committee found that Dean Forman and his predecessor Robert Paul did not violate College Bylaws. The report also said that the current College Bylaws “do not contain clear and sufficient procedures for the closing, changing or reorganizing departments or programs.” The committee also concluded that communication errors occurred between the College administration and the affected departments and programs. The report detailed four specific recommendations for moving forward, including a revision of the Emory College Bylaws to outline a clear procedure for future department or program changes and a call for more transparency.
The department changes review ended in February 2014, but those affect by the cuts are still left with many questions. As students in the college, our main question for the Emory community at large is five years, ten years in the future, what kind of a university do we see Emory becoming and what kind of students will we be able to serve?
While Emory is well regarded across the nation for its pre-professional tracks, there remain many students who come here to study subjects only found at liberal arts colleges.
Students are sometimes surprised to find that while they are liberal arts majors at a liberal arts college, they are still the minority amongst their peers. Many say that they find it challenging to pursue their course of study due to pressures from other students and their parents.
Following the decision to eliminate programs, the Emory faculty voted to make a review committee that would analyze the department changes process in the college. The vote came after faculty raised concerns with how and why the programs were eliminated so swiftly.
In visual arts specifically, professors were adamant that lack of enrollment was not a valid reason for the elimination of the program, as the department continues to be in demand amongst undergraduate students.
After the decision was announced, students had to rush to finish their majors before the classes they needed were no longer offered. While the school did provide students with the means to finish their majors, some argue that the majors may have been expedited at the expense of the quality of learning.
In January of 2014, the results of the Process Review Committee were announced. According to the Wheel, The Committee found that Dean Forman and his predecessor Robert Paul did not violate College Bylaws. The report also said that the current College Bylaws “do not contain clear and sufficient procedures for the closing, changing or reorganizing departments or programs.” The committee also concluded that communication errors occurred between the College administration and the affected departments and programs. The report detailed four specific recommendations for moving forward, including a revision of the Emory College Bylaws to outline a clear procedure for future department or program changes and a call for more transparency.
The department changes review ended in February 2014, but those affect by the cuts are still left with many questions. As students in the college, our main question for the Emory community at large is five years, ten years in the future, what kind of a university do we see Emory becoming and what kind of students will we be able to serve?