By Jenna Thomas
In its last issue, The Cauldron reported on the creation of CSU 2.0 and wrote on the ambiguity of its implications. Now, details are coming to light as interim reports from those five commissioned task forces are released, detailing the recommendations to save costs. One of the most notable of these recommendations includes the consolidation of colleges. The entire report can be read here.
Currently, there are 11 colleges listed on Cleveland State University’s website, but the cost-saving project could narrow them down to as few as 5. The five configurations under consideration are:
Alternative A:
1. Business
2. Liberal Arts and Education
3. Law
4. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
5. Health Professions (including Nursing, Psychology, and Social Work)
6. Urban Affairs and Social Sciences
Alternative B:
1. Business
2. Education, Liberal Arts, and Social Sciences
3. Law
4. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
5. Health (including Nursing, Psychology, and Social Work) and Urban Affairs
Alternative C:
1. Health Sciences (including Psychology and Social Work), Nursing, and Human Systems
2. Engineering and Natural Sciences (including Math)
3. Law
4. Education, Liberal Arts, and Social Sciences
5. Business and Urban Affairs
Alternative D:
1. Business
2. Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
3. Law
4. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
5. Health Professions (including Nursing, Psychology, and Social Work)
6. Urban Affairs and Education
Alternative E:
1. Business
2. Urban Affairs, Education, and Social Work
3. Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
4. Law
5. Engineering
6. Science (including Psychology), Nursing and Health Professions
Some students are growing concerned that this consolidation will lead to less appealing programs in those merged colleges.
Maggie Phillips is a junior in the Urban Affairs college and shared her concern that potentially larger class sizes will make the urban program less appealing to current and future students.
“Right now, as an urban affairs major, I love getting the specialized classroom experience that the Levin College offers me. If classes become larger, I fear students will lose the ability to engage with their professors and classmates on such a personal level―a factor that drew me to the program in the first place,” Phillips said.
Kyle Warren, another CSU student who is studying environmental science, shared a similar worry regarding the university’s prestige in the region.
“The consolidation of STEM degrees threatens the rigor and reputation of CSU. As an affordable university, CSU is vital to the regional economy and preparing Northeast Ohio for high-demand, job-secure positions.”
The final report from the Task Force will be made public in November, at which time students will have a more concrete understanding of the future of CSU’s academic programs and colleges.
One thought