Western Illinois University Board of Trustees considers cutting majors

May 2024 · 2 minute read

This fall, students enrolling in classes at Western Illinois University could see a smaller course catalog. The Board of Trustees is considering a recommendation to eliminate four academic majors, and to scale back four additional majors. 

If passed, new students would not be able to enroll at Western Illinois University as an African American Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, or Women’s studies major starting this fall. The cutbacks would allow students already enrolled to complete their degree.

The majors of Bilingual/Bicultural education, Geography, Health Science Public health, and Musical Theatre are being considered as well, but the board is only considering scaling back their resources to those major programs. 

The main reason behind the proposed cutbacks is low enrollment. Each of the majors considered for elimination has less than 25 students enrolled, and graduates less than six students each year, according to Neumann. 

“These are areas that have been low enrolled in terms of majors. However, we are not eliminating our minors. We are not eliminating our general education courses in these areas. We are only looking at reducing the number of majors,” Neumann said. 

This change is not without opposition. Students at WIU have started a petition to keep the majors, and more than 1,600 students have signed the petition. 

The meeting of the board of trustees is Friday, June 10 at 8 a.m. The meeting is located at the WIU Quad Cities campus on River Drive in Moline. 

Local four will keep you updated on this story as to what the board decides after the meeting is over. 

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