Southern University to drop its mass communications master's ...

BATON ROUGE -- The Louisiana Board of Regents has given Southern University permission to drop its master of arts in mass communication degree in a budget-cutting move that provoked the ire of faculty when the idea was first floated months ago.

Karen Denby, regents associate commissioner for academic affairs, says Southern's mass communication master's degree was recently denied reaccreditation by a national organization earlier this year, while the bachelor's program was conditionally approved.

The Advocate reports Southern System President Ronald Mason acknowledged that cutting a program is rarely a good thing, but called it a necessary evil in a time of financial uncertainty.

Declining enrollment coupled with fewer state dollars and rising benefit costs preceded Southern's 2011 declaration of financial emergency, called exigency.

By declaring exigency, Southern's Baton Rouge campus had greater leeway to downsize staff and consolidate programs.

Mason said Southern is currently going through the first phase of an extensive program review which may lead to other cuts as deemed necessary.

"Mass communication at the undergraduate level is more marketable," Mason said. "We had low enrollment at the master's level, and at a time of tight budgets, we had to make a call."

Wednesday's decision by the regents came with significantly less outcry than when it was proposed at a Southern Board of Supervisors meeting this past summer.

Southern also got the go-ahead to end its doctor of philosophy in physical education program.

The regents also reinstated its endowed professorship support fund program, which guarantees a financial match to campuses looking to attract "rock star" professors.

Campuses typically receive a $40,000 match from the state for every $60,000 given in private donations.

Source: http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2012/10/southern_university_to_drop_it.html

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