University Targets Low-enrollment Programs for Elimination

JUNEAU, Alaska — The University of Alaska plans to eliminate or suspend a number of majors this year to deal with an ongoing budgetary squeeze on the state’s public universities.

The Juneau Empire reports that the university system has slated 31 academic programs for deletion, including 21 at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

UAA’s certificates in massage therapy, pharmacy technology and paralegal studies and its master’s degree in computer science are on the chopping block. Meanwhile, the University of Alaska Fairbanks has proposed eliminating six programs, including its undergraduate sociology program and its master’s degree in music. Six other programs have suspended enrollment, including dental hygiene.

UAF Chancellor Brian Rogers and Provost Susan Henrichs wrote in April that the programs were selected because of low enrollment numbers.