Departmental Cuts: Something Has to Give

Rumors run rampant, especially at Wittenberg. A big rumor going around campus right now is that the board already made the decision of which programs to cut, and the open forums are just a formality.

Wittenberg isn't the only school in financial trouble, and Wittenberg students certaintly aren't the only ones effected by increasing tuition costs. Evidence of the election shows that these are not just concerns in the Witt bubble. This is a real life problem and we need a real-time solution.

Cutting some academic programs is not a thing the board would like to boast about. Is it better to ride this probelm out, or do something about it in order to ensure this school has financial stability in the near future? I would argue the latter.While this may make me seem like a bad guy, this issue is not a matter of if the programs will but cut, but rather what programs will be cut.

It's easy to get caught up in a cloud of emotion and maybe even irrationality, especially if it's a program a student is in and feels passionately about. However, the board ensured us the cuts would be grandfathered in. Alumni probably want to see their programs continue and flourish, but they also want to see their school flourish as well. And, in order for this to happen, cuts have to be made -- whether we like it or not.

I think it's great Wittenberg is allowing open forums and students are mobilizing to gather support for the programs in consideration, and I do not think this it's a lost cause to make your voice heard. I urge students to keep it professional and respectful when they attend these forums and/or if they write letters -- as we have seen on social media, arguments written in a fit of rage will just turn people off. Don't bash other programs and don't point fingers -- just be persuasive and tell your story about why a particular is important to you and why you think it shouldn't be cut.

This is a tough decision and we need to look at it from both sides. It is easy and popular to default to a "save the arts" mentality. I can't stress the importance of my liberal arts education enough. But the fact remains that something has to give. Should it be the departments that are efficient and serve a great number of students? No.