Utica University board, faculty clash over recommendation to eliminate majors

UTICA, N.Y. — A recent recommendation by Utica University President Laura Casamento to eliminate 15 majors at the university and modify several others has sparked pushback from the faculty union and a censure of the university’s board of trustees by the faculty senate.

In her Jan. 18 presentation, Casamento, who plans to retire this July, notes the board requested the academic-portfolio review last August, and a workgroup of faculty, staff, and academic administrators, appointed by the provost and senior VP for academic affairs, undertook the review.

“Based on nine years of data, this evaluation carefully considered how each individual major fit with the future academic vision and strategic direction of the university,” the report notes.

Following that review, it was recommended the following majors sunset: chemistry (BS degree) with additional support to grow the biochemistry degree; criminal justice online degree (BS); fraud and financial crime investigation (BS) with additional support to the solely online degree; geoscience degree (BA and BS degrees); healthcare management campus delivery (BS); healthcare management (BS) online; international studies (BA); nutrition (BS) with additional support to the dietetics and nutrition degree; philosophy (BA); physics (BA) with additional support to grow the physics (BS) degree; public relations and marketing degree (BBA) and develop a digital media marketing and management program to replace; sociology and anthropology degree (BA); Spanish degree (BA); and therapeutic recreation (BS) degree.

In her report, Casamento cited low enrollment and declining student interest in those areas of study as a major impetus for the recommendations. The majors impacted account for 4.4 percent of the current undergraduate student body. At the same time, she noted, first-year applications have increased about 30 percent over last year, with strong interest in the university’s “signature degree programs.”

The Faculty Senate of Utica University issued a public censure on Wednesday, Jan. 25, expressing disapproval of the entire board as well as Chairperson Bob Brvenik. The censure noted “the faculty has primary responsibility for such fundamental areas as curriculum, subject matter and methods of instruction, research, faculty status, and those aspects of student life which relate to the education process.”

With no clear intent to include the curriculum committee and no clear benefits or financial savings outline for the cuts, the senate also requests the board rescind its resolution authorizing the academic program review and reject the recommendations. The senate also requested a “detailed account of the apparent crises facing Utica University and the nature of the actions they believe are needed to solve them.”

The American Association of University Professors-Utica/AFT 6786 collective bargaining unit – which represents faculty, librarians, and Higher Education Opportunity Program counselors – has since filed a formal grievance and launched a petition at change.org protesting the university board’s recommendations.

“These curricular decisions were not initiated by faculty or made by faculty,” the unit states on the petition’s site. The AAUP–Utica alleges the decisions were not made through the appropriate curricular processes outlined in the collective-bargaining agreement.

As of 7 a.m. on Jan. 26, the petition had 656 signatures. Along with protesting the process, the petition also lashes out at the two-week commenting period set by the university. That period ends Feb. 2. Comments will then be presented to the university’s board of trustees in advance of its Feb. 17 meeting. The board will review Casamento’s recommendations and all comments, and make any revisions to the recommendations prior to that meeting.

In a background report emailed to CNYBJ, university officials said, “Sunsetting academic majors is arguably the hardest decision a university’s board of trustees and administrative leadership must make. This action is necessary, however, to ensure that institutional resources are stewarded appropriately. Because student tuition and fees make up the largest portion of Utica’s operating revenue, the University has a responsibility to the families we serve to invest those resources in a way that is reflective of student interest and employer demand.”

AAUP-Utica officials did not respond to a request for comment by article publication time.

If the board moves forward with eliminating any majors, no new students will be admitted to that major. Students currently enrolled or accepted into the major are not affected by the decision and are able to complete their program of study.

Founded in 1946, Utica University has more than 5,000 undergraduate students and 150 full-time faculty members, according to its website.