The College Board of Trustees for the Baltimore City Community College has unanimously voted to cut 14 degree programs and consolidate several others, reports The Baltimore Sun. According to BCCC President Carolane G. Williams, the move will help students by funneling more money to the more popular majors like cyber-technology and nursing while also reducing the number of credit hours required for graduation or a transfer to a four-year school.

The decision has been met by strong opposition from the faculty. The main objection raised by all of the five faculty members allowed the speak at the standing-room-only meeting before the vote, was the process the board used to select the targeted programs was inadequate and rushed. Cynthia Webb, a program coordinator in office administration said:

“We were basically told if we didn’t do it, it was going to be done,”…”While most faculty members agreed that some programs needed to be re-evaluated, the administration’s method was wrong.”

Williams said she sympathized with the sentiments, the emphasized that the faculty has known about the plan for almost a year and this was something that “needed to be done.”

In addition to the eliminations and consolidations of degree programs, the plan will also cut nine faculty positions at the college. These changes will not effect those currently enrolled as current students will be able to complete programs that are being discontinued.

[Photo: Kenneth K. Lam, Baltimore Sun]