Recently, there was some shocking news for prospective college students looking to go to Rhode Island College, as they announced that they will be shutting down many degree programs. Some of these programs include Art Education and Art History, multiple foreign language majors, and many education majors. In total, there were 20 programs and concentrations that were shut down in what the administration calls “a regular part of our housekeeping processes” despite it not having been done in years.
Many students and faculty are upset at these cuts, as they are all primarily liberal arts based degrees, with many people saying that for a while the school has been more focused on pre-professional careers rather than liberal arts programs. Many other people are also upset because they learned of this process through the announcement of these degree programs being cut; there was no warning or announcement of this ahead of time. Many others are more concerned about the fact that there is a large Portuguese population in Rhode Island, and that getting rid of some of the Portuguese majors may be a rejection or loss of recognition for that culture and community.
All in all, Rhode Island College shut down 20 degree programs and concentrations, to the outrage of many students and faculty. However, the administration stands by their decision, stating that it is housekeeping that should be kept as a semi-often thing to be done to save money.
