Faculty recommends closure of UWW

Skidmore College faculty voted at a meeting Feb. 27, to recommend the closure of the school's distance-learning program, University Without Walls. The motion passed 100-20.

Despite what the margin of the vote might imply, the discussion on the issue was impassioned. "The conversation was certainly one of the best I've ever heard at a faculty meeting," Skidmore College President Philip Glotzbach said at the meeting.

The issue was first brought to the faculty more than a year ago, as Vice President for Academic Affiars Susan Kress issued a recommendation stating that it was no longer in the college's best interest to continue the program. She cited concerns about the strain the program was placing on faculty, the decline in enrollment and the availability of numerous other distance-learning programs.

The faculty narrowly voted down that motion, citing a desire to try to restructure the program. The University Without Walls Working Group then developed a plan to address the concerns. That plan was reviewed by the Committee on Educational Policies and Planning and the Institutional Policy and Planning Committee, which then decided that the closure of the program would be a better option.

The motion delivered to the faculty said, "CEPP and IPPC unanimously conclude that, as a matter of educational and institutional policy, the continuation of the UWW program is not in the College's best long-term interests. Closing UWW, while painful and difficult, is appropriate and responsible."

Glotzbach said the decision to close the program was not easy. "All the things people have said about the quality program, the graduates, its importance in their lives, all those things are true," he said.

"I think there are some very, very strong arguments for closing it, as much as it was a very special part of the college. I've had some really great students from the program who are out in the world. … It's kind of sad, but it sounded like there was enough support against it," said Joel Brown, professor of music.

The decision by the faculty will now be reviewed by College President Philip Glotzbach and the college's administration. "I will report back to this group at our next meeting what recommendation I will take to the board," he said to the faculty at the meeting.