A special committee of The Florida Gulf Coast University Board of Trustees decided not to remove any active degree programs from the university catalog Wednesday. Trustees will leave such decisions in the hands of administrators.
The idea of cutting programs such as philosophy, anthropology and journalism attracted a standing room only crowd in protest. FGCU has 51 undergraduate programs. It’s the smallest number of courses in the state university system.
The university is reevaluating its programs at the request of the Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the state university system and Governor Rick Scott. They asked if universities could cut smaller, more expensive programs or those generating graduates with low job prospects and earning potential.
But the university’s founding President Roy McTarnaghan said he doesn’t agree with that suggestion.
“And part of your job is to remember that one of the reasons that this university was formed was that we had the lowest college going rate of any part of Florida because we didn’t have a university close by,” said McTarnaghan. “And in order to keep up that opportunity for the people who live here and can’t go away there has to be a broad spectrum of undergraduate degree programs.”
Trustee Dr. Ken Smith, who does not serve on the special committee, said he was confused. He suggested school administration continue its review process.
“It appears to me there’s a process,” said Smith. “If we have an issue with the process let’s change the process and the procedure. And I think there’s a philosophical discussion. Are we trying to hit some number here? Or are we trying to make FGCU the best FGCU FGCU can be?
There are still five masters programs in suspended status: environmental studies, reading education, nurse practitioner, nurse educator and information systems. Last fall FGCU eliminated 36 inactive programs that had not had any new students for years.