President Art Dunning asks Board of Regents to drop 15 degree programs at ASU

ALBANY — Albany State University is asking the University System Board of Regents to discontinue 15 programs at the university.

The Board of Regents, which was meeting today and Wednesday, was to take up ASU President Art Dunning’s request to terminate the multiple multiple academic degrees.

According to the board’s agenda, Albany State has undertaken a comprehensive study of its academic programs based on institutional deliberations during consolidation proceedings, reviews of low-producing programs and analyses of programmatic outcomes. Termination of the academic degree programs will enable the administration to revise records, reflect current program offerings and align ASU’s overall academic program inventory in time for a SACS-COC review.

Students will no longer be enrolled in the programs listed below. Termination of the programs will not adversely impact faculty:

• Associate of Applied Science in Psychiatric Technology

• Associate of Science in Cancer Registry Management

• Associate of Science in Cardiovascular Technology

• Associate of Science in Human Services Technology

• Associate of Science in Polysomnographic Technology

• Bachelor of Arts with a major in Spanish Language and Literature

• Bachelor of Arts with a major in Art

• Bachelor of Arts with a major in Music

• Bachelor of Music Education

• Bachelor of Science with a major in Teaching Field – Health & Physical Education

• Bachelor of Science with a major in Teaching Field – Science

• Master of Education with a major in Teaching Field – Music

• Master of Education with a major in Teaching Field – English

• Master of Education with a major in Teaching Field – Mathematics

• Master of Education with a major in Teaching Field – Health & Physical Education

As an example of low-producing programs over a six-year period, the BOR pointed to the Bachelor of Arts with a major in Music and Bachelor of Science with a major in Teaching Field – Science programs.

Over that span, the BA with a Major in Music had an enrollment of 76 in FY 2011 and two degrees conferred. In FY 2016 the program had 25 enrolled and two degrees conferred. The BS in Science with a Major in Middle Grades Education had an enrollment of 212 and 28 degrees conferred in FY 2011. In 2016 80 were enrolled and nine degrees were conferred.

Should the regents approve termination of the 15 programs, the action would go into effect immediately. Dunning was in Atlanta Tuesday and today attending the BOR meeting and not available for comment.

The request comes at an active time for ASU. Dunning announced Monday that he would retire as ASU president on Jan. 31. That announcement came a week after Albany State has sent former Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Tau Khadi, who has been on the job as ASU’s No. 2 official for less than a year, back to the classroom.

The University System of Georgia is sending its vice chancellor for Human Resources, Marion Fedrick, to town Monday to lead the presidential transition as interim executive vice president of the university.

Dunning was in Atlanta for the meeting and unable to be reached for comment today.