The Louisiana Board of Regents approved on Thursday a plan to cut 87 higher education programs with low completion rates.
After reviewing 36 programs in the LSU System, the Board is terminating nine.
Currently enrolled students will be able to complete their studies or transfer to another program, said Meg Casper, Board spokeswoman.
“We have pledged to do our part to operate in the most efficient and accountable manner possible for our students and for taxpayers in Louisiana,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Sally Clausen in a news release Wednesday. “This is an important step in assessing our entire higher education enterprise so we can continue to demonstrate that colleges and universities are a wise investment in our state’s future.”
The Regents began a review of the “low-completer” programs in January, using data between 2003 and 2008.
Under the Board’s plan, programs that will be terminated at LSU A&M in Baton Rouge include the Master of Agriculture, Master of Arts in linguistics, Doctorate of Linguistics and the Post-Master Certificate in library and information science.
The Board also recommended the Master of Science in horticulture, Doctor of Horticulture, Master of Science in fisheries and Doctor of Wildlife and Fisheries Science be terminated and consolidated with other programs, pending a proposal review. The Master of Arts in art history program should be conditionally maintained, pending review as well.
“During these difficult economic times, the state must invest in programs that have a proven track record for student success,” Board of Regents Chairman Artis Terrell said in the release.
Chancellor Michael Martin said the University may debate some of the programs the Board has decided to eliminate.
“I don’t believe that Sally and the Regents are going to force us [to terminate] if we have a case,” Martin said. —-Contact Kyle Bove at [email protected]