The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education approved the termination of 16 and the suspension of three OU degree programs Friday as part of the board’s comprehensive review of programs across all Oklahoma public institutions.
The state regents examined a total of 357 low-producing programs across the state. Of that number 41 will be terminated, 21 will be suspended and 193 will be kept with “action plans” to increase enrollment and productivity, according to a Friday press release.
The remaining 102 low-producing programs are being kept, classified as “low-cost” or “shared-cost,” 80% of which are related to STEM, according to the release.
Sean Burrage, chancellor for the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, wrote this review shows a positive response from public colleges and universities.
“By phasing out programs that no longer meet student or workforce needs and shielding programs in STEM and other crucial fields, we are ensuring that public higher education remains future-focused and responsive,” Burrage wrote.
Affected programs
The terminated programs include 14 programs on the Norman campus and two programs at the OU Health Campus.
Norman campus terminations include:
• Doctor of Philosophy in French
• Master of Arts in Drama
•Master of Arts in French
• Master of Arts in German
• Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Programs
• Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Programs
• Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology
• Bachelor of Arts in French
• Bachelor of Arts in German
• Bachelor of Music in Piano Pedagogy
• Bachelor of Science in Geography
• Bachelor of Arts in Geography
• Bachelor of Arts in Chinese
• Bachelor of Arts in Arabic
The OU Health Campus terminations include:
• Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders
• Master of Science in Rehabilitation Sciences
The suspended programs include two programs on the Norman campus and one program at the OU Health Campus.
Norman campus suspensions include:
• Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Engineering
• Master of Science in Geological Engineering
One OU Health Campus suspension includes:
• Doctor of Philosophy in Communication Sciences and Disorders
OU College of Arts and Sciences Dean Michael Markham, College of Fine Arts Dean Mary Margaret Holt, College of Arts and Sciences Dean for Students Rhonda Dean-Kyncl and OU Marketing and Communications did not immediately respond by the time of publication.
This story was edited by Ana Barboza and Thomas Pablo. Gretchen Schultz and Sophie Hemker copy edited this story.