A Catholic university in Virginia has eliminated specific courses on religious studies and math, to the frustration of many.
Fox News reports that Marymount University, which sits just outside Washington DC, has eliminated specific courses that have led to student protests. Many of those students are concerned that eliminating some of these courses will end up driving away some people from ever applying for the university in the first place.
Sophomore majoring in Politics, Ethan Reed spoke with Fox News Digital.
Reed said:
The overall atmosphere of the Marymount community right now is just kind of dead, and its very tense, and It is just so clear that in every class Im in, theres a huge elephant in the room.
Marymounts board of trustees ended some of these programs in a 20-0 vote on February 24. The school spoke with Fox News Digital and stated, this decision reflects not only our students needs but our responsibility to prepare them for the fulfilling, in-demand careers of the future.
However, Fox News reports that students and staff only received an alert one month ago. The alert stated that bachelors degrees in theology and religious studies, philosophy, mathematics, art, history, sociology, English, economics, and secondary education, as well as a masters program in English and humanities, were being cut.
The plan to make these changes became a big topic on campus shortly after the announcement. Current students, staff, and even alumni began to write letters to President Irma Becerra asking her to reconsider.
Student-government President Ashly Trejo Mejia also wrote a letter to President Becerra that stated:
Cutting portions of the School of Humanities as well as math and art programs would be detrimental to the diversity of our student body, and We fear that removing programs will alter the foundation and identity Marymount University was built on.
However, the school continues to argue that the decision will not impact its mission.
A school representative said:
Marymount will always [be] dedicated to the education of the whole person. and Every one of these foundational subjects remains part of our core curriculum, which supports our mission and Catholic identity.
Also:
All University programs will continue to be grounded in the liberal arts, and the Marymount University Board, President, and Cabinet remain committed to continuously improving the student experience.
Therefore, watching how this plays out at the university will be worth watching.
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