Penn State Recommends Closing 47 Undergraduate Programs After Review of All 403; 784 Students Affected
Pennsylvania State University on October 12 released the final recommendations of its Academic Program and Portfolio Review (APPR): of all 403 baccalaureate and associate degree programs reviewed, 47 are recommended for closure in the coming years, citing low student demand, employment opportunity, program realignment and other factors. A total of 784 students are enrolled in the affected programs, about 1.1 percent of Penn State's 68,390 undergraduates.
Of the 47 programs, nine currently have no enrolled students, and 15 have already submitted formal teach-out proposals and/or enrollment holds; 24 of the 47 would continue to be offered through another college within the university. The list spans the University Park campus and the Commonwealth Campuses and includes fields in education, the humanities and the social sciences, such as elementary and kindergarten education, middle-level education, American studies, environmental studies, criminal justice and history.
The recommendations next go to the Faculty Senate for review before Executive Vice President and Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos makes final decisions. The university said it will work closely with affected students on multi-semester teach-out plans so they can complete their degrees on time, and that regular program reviews help it respond to changing demographics, stagnant state support and rising costs.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：宾夕法尼亚州立大学主楼 Old Main。照片：The Daily Collegian，公共领域，经维基共享资源。 / Old Main at Pennsylvania State University. Photo: The Daily Collegian, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
