MT VERNON, Iowa (KCRG) – Cornell College announced it will eliminate several liberal arts programs, including elements of its music program and multiple religion majors, leaving students uncertain about their academic futures.
The college, which serves about 1,000 students, made the announcement Friday in a letter to students and staff. Administrators cited declining enrollment and interest in the affected programs as reasons for the cuts.
The eliminated programs include music performance, classical studies, several language programs, and music education. The college also plans to remove French and German majors, while retaining Spanish classes as a minor option only.
Gabriella Niewoehner, a Cornell College freshman pursuing a degree in music education, said she chose the school specifically for its music program after participating in a five-day campus program during her high school years.
“It was a five-day-long program, and I stayed on the campus, and I worked with the music professors, and I really liked it,” Niewoehner said.
She said the announcement came as a shock after settling into campus life.
“I felt like I had found my place at Cornell. I love, as I said, I love the community, I love the music, and then I learned that it would be very quickly dismantled,” Niewoehner said.
Cornell administrators said the school would offer “teach out” programs to students already enrolled in the eliminated majors. However, Niewoehner said details about these programs remain unclear.
“I don’t really know what that entails, and because a lot of the staff in those departments are being let go, those classes would be taken either online or through visiting professors,” she said.
Niewoehner said she plans to meet with advisors and teachers to determine her next steps.
“We’re going to see the best plan for me,” she said.
The college has yet to specify how many students will be affected, leaving the full impact of the program cuts uncertain.
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