As Seattle Pacific University begins to look at cutting programs due to declining enrollment, students are concerned that they will not be able to graduate with their intended degree. Yet this is a conversation that faculty has been having for a long time, and plans are in place to help students navigate the possible changes.

Charlotte Pratt, a biology professor, is the co-chair of the undergraduate curriculum committee, and knows that there are concerns among students because of budget cuts.

“We thought as a committee it might be important if there were some communication from the faculty level that might help reassure students about some of the upcoming potential changes,” Pratt said.

While Pratt is not involved with the details of which programs will get cut or when, she does know that programs getting cut will not interfere with a student’s ability to graduate.

“When changes are made to a university’s academic program, those changes aren’t necessarily instantaneous. The catalog of courses is, in some ways, kind of like a legal document that says we’ve offered these courses, we’re not going to suddenly just cancel them all at once.”

In SPU’s past, programs have been cut, so this is nothing new according to Mark Sullivan, director of academic counseling, who has seen four to five programs cut while he has been in that position.

“It’s not a large number, but we’ve been there before,” Sullivan said. “We’ve got a good set process for working through those and managing it.”

Pratt also emphasized that even if a program is cut, the faculty will dedicate themselves to making sure that students graduate.

“Even if a program is eliminated, there’s what’s called a teach-out program,” Pratt said. “The idea is that if you are a student in a major that’s being eliminated, you will be allowed to, in general, finish that major and complete all the coursework and graduate from SPU on time.”

For students who are worried their program is going to be cut, there are plenty of options for them to finish it.

“What’s helpful in these spaces is that faculty and departments have a great deal of flexibility. Every school and department may handle that differently, but most importantly, faculty advisors have the ability to grant substitutions for those courses,” Sullivan said.

Exactly which programs will be cut are not known yet and might not be known for a while. 

“It’s probably unlikely that there are going to be zero programs that will be eliminated, but it’s also possible that the footprint or impact is lighter than we’re anticipating,” Sullivan said. “We just don’t know that yet.”

Regardless of which programs are cut, students are always welcome to contact their faculty advisor or the Center for Career and Calling if they have any questions regarding their major or opportunities for after college.

“You have people in your corner,” Sullivan said. “Those are folks that no matter what questions students have are going to be able to help navigate.”