University of Wyoming trustees to take up program cuts

LARAMIE (AP) — University of Wyoming trustees plan to discuss and possibly act on proposals to eliminate two undergraduate and three graduate programs in response to waning student interest.

University President Laurie Nichols and Provost Kate Miller will recommend eliminating the bachelor’s programs in Russian and secondary industrial technical education. The master’s programs in French, German and neuroscience also face elimination.

The trustees plan to take up the proposals Thursday.

Though the university and the rest of Wyoming state government face layoffs and spending cuts amid declining revenue from fossil-fuel extraction, no faculty would be laid off immediately because of the program cuts, Miller told the Laramie Boomerang.

“This is really about program quality and whether students are interested in it,” Miller said. “It’s not about saving money.”

The 13 students currently enrolled in the programs would be allowed to finish their degrees.

The same material could be taught under different programs. For example, a new master’s program in world languages could replace the French and German graduate programs, Miller said.

“It’s really about programs that were not thriving, that did not have many students,” Miller said. “When there isn’t student interest, that’s telling us something about the need for the program.”

Miller also will suggest suspending new admissions for modern language education and art education, and changes to several other programs.