Tiger TV Online Reporter
Because of the budget cuts facing the University every instructor was sent a year’s notice of termination. Most likely not every instructor will be released from the University however the University does not know yet how many instructors will be released but the more instructors released the greater it will impact the University.
It will make the greatest impact in the general education departments and this has some teachers worried about the accreditation of the University.
“Many of these budget reduction measures will jeopardize future accreditations for programs and degree offerings,” Chancellor Mike Martin said in a press conference.
Accreditation is a public statement of “an institution’s effectiveness in the fulfillment of its mission, compliance with requirements of accrediting association and continuing efforts to enhance the quality of student learning and its programs and services” based on peer review according to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
There are 12 core requirements for accreditation but according to Anna Nardo, head of the English department, the three requirements the University may have trouble meeting is a strong general education curriculum, an adequate number of full-time staff to support the University’s mission and financial stability.
Instructors are responsible for teaching many of the required general education courses. In communication studies 11 instructors teach 24 sections of general education courses per semester. In foreign language 31 instructors teach 198 sections per year in 13 different languages. In French studies 8 instructors teach 38 sections per year. In math 8 out the 12 sections taught each semester are taught by instructors. There are 150 sections of required university writing taught by instructors. Even with that many sections offered there were 205 students on the waiting list for the required writing courses this semester.
Nardo said that this will impact every student but especially freshman and sophomores.
“If a substantial number of instructors are released it will delay freshman from getting into general education courses which ultimately could delay their entrance into their senior college and even graduation,” Nardo said.
In 2004 a quality enhancement plan for the University was created by the executive board of administrators. That plan made a goal of having an 88-90 percent retention rate of freshman and sophomores. Currently our retention rate for freshman and sophomores is 83.6 percent and Nardo feels it could be even further damaged if the general education courses are greatly affected.
Michelle Masse, head of women and gender studies department, worries about the University’s reputation after these cuts are made. She said that if we lose accreditation we will lose much our prestige.
“We have made major advances as a university in the past years,” Masse said. “It takes a lot of time to gain prestige like this but it takes no time at all to lose it.”
Nardo said that accreditation is very important for the students because it gives a degree more value and creates a positive reputation for the University both of which are important to employers.
“We’ve just recently achieved tier one status. There is a good chance we will lose this status because of the budget cuts. If we lose accreditation too it will really devalue your degree,” Nardo said.
