Baker University eliminated five majors, including computer information systems, physical education (non-certification track), molecular bioscience, wildlife biology and political science.
“All of these hard, hard things that we’ve gone through … from the staff that we had to let go, to the operational cuts, to the cut in pay. Now we’re seeing the fruits of those labors pay off financially,” University President Pat Long said Wednesday. “Emotionally, does that help? No. But what helps me sleep at night, is that for the long term of Baker, we’re doing the right things. … These things are very hard. But I also feel very deeply about Baker and Baker’s future.”
An e-mail was sent to all faculty and staff Feb. 4 announcing the elimination of the political science major and the reallocation of Associate Professor of Political Science Bruce Anderson and Karen Exon, professor of health, sport and human performance. Due to technical difficulties, the e-mail was sent only to some students.
Anderson will continue as the head tennis coach. He will also be assisting in the athletic department with game administration and collaborative classes at area high schools for the School of Education.
“As far as I know, I’ll be here through next year and possibly beyond,” he said. “It all depends on how things work out with tennis, but I owe them. My dedication to the students, my dedication to the tennis players is, I think, probably well-known.”
Exon will continue to serve as the head golf coach and volunteered to relinquish her teaching position.
“I am no longer going to be engaging in academic work, but I will continue to engage in intercollegiate coaching and recruiting,” Exon said. “It stands to reason that my compensation will be reduced, and it will be.”
Another e-mail from Long was sent to faculty, students and staff Tuesday about additional academic personnel and program changes for the 2010-2011 academic year.
In that e-mail, Long announced the incented retirements of Eugenia Askew, assistant professor of health, sport and human performance, Lee Mann, professor and chair of the art department, Lucy Price, professor of English, and Bruce Woodruff, associate professor and chair of the theater department.
Long addressed the process of the faculty joint committee and its recommendations on programs, majors and positions.
Randy Miller, assistant professor of biology, will complete his teaching through June 30 and will “become coordinator of student research in biology.” Norm Mast, instructor of computer science, will complete his contract and his teaching responsibilities will end at the end of this academic year. Jean Johnson, professor of mathematics, will serve part-time in the records and registration office and will hold a part-time teaching position next year.
In the e-mail, Long also announced that Judy Smrha, assistant dean for institutional effectiveness, will take on a new role next year in a teaching position with “additional responsibilities related to student retention, engagement and success.”
With the announcement of the eliminations, Rand Ziegler, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, sent a statement to The Baker Orange Tuesday saying the administration recognizes “the short-term implications of eliminating five majors and our obligations to students who may be affected by these changes.”
In his statement, Ziegler said he met with the underclassmen in the political science majors prior to the announcement being made.
“We have never lost sight of the fact that our students come first,” he said. “But just as we need to accommodate our current students, we must also be sure that we have the firm financial footing that will enable us to provide the best possible learning opportunity for our students of the future.”
Some of the underclassmen in the other eliminated majors were not alerted of the dismissal of their major until Tuesday night’s Baker University Student Senate meeting.
"I think (Ziegler) was a little surprised, that especially the molecular bioscience students hadn't been talked to," Long said. "He said, ‘had I known that, I would have met with every group.' So it wasn't that he was trying to put one over the other. It's just how it seemed to work out." <br/>Long knew that going to the senate meeting was going to be difficult, but that it was important for students to be informed about the upcoming changes affecting the university.Long knew that going to the senate meeting was going to be difficult, but that it was important for students to be informed about the upcoming changes affecting the university.
Long knew that going to the senate meeting was going to be difficult, but that it was important for students to be informed about the upcoming changes affecting the university.
“I was very pleased with the questions (students asked),” she said. “The majority of the questions were thoughtful. … I completely understood the emotion that was in that room. I was pleased that students were direct with their questions and the way they presented them was respectful, but they wanted answers.”
Long, Ziegler, Provost Randy Pembrook and Chief Operating Officer Susan Lindahl worked together to give students those answers at the meeting.
“I love being with students, and even in a situation where we walked in last night knowing it would be difficult, I knew that if we could get the information out, the correct information out, that people weren’t going to be necessarily happy, because that’s not a happy thing; but that there was going to be more of an understanding and hopefully we could start looking for positive outcomes,” Long said.
Although making the announcement of reduction and reallocation was difficult for Long and the administration, she does not regret the decision to follow the recommendations made by the faculty joint committee.
"I know how much they deliberated, I know how long they spent on the process. But because they came to me with this recommendation after a thorough study, then I feel like yes, it was the right decision based on what they saw at the time," she said. "Do I regret that people think we don't value political science? I really regret that, because we do. But yes, because the recommendation was from 17 people that I so dearly respect, I think we made the right decision. We just have to remember that decisions are very tough, … that we need to be leaders now. Sometimes leading just is hard."<br/>&#160;