During the 2003 spring and summer semesters, University ofMemphis administration, in reaction to state cutbacks in fundinghigher education, called for an overhaul of several academicdepartments and programs, the most noted of which included mergingthe sociology and anthropology departments and eliminating thedance program.
However, many U of M administrators are now looking foralternatives to making drastic changes that will likely affect theintegrity of those academic disciplines, department officials saidTuesday.
"We're looking at solutions that the upper administration willbe happy with, including outside funding," said JenniferWagner-Lawlor, College of Arts and Sciences associate dean.
The U of M formed several committees during the spring andsummer semesters to review academic departments and programs thatweren't granting the expected number of degrees per academic year.The committee investigating the possibility of merging anthropologywith sociology was expected to have submitted its recommendationsby early September. However, members have delayed their decisionafter finding that a merger may not be in the two departments' bestinterest.
"(Merging) was never the only option, even though it may havefelt like that," said committee chair Wagner-Lawlor. "It was madeclear that if another alternative was found that answered theissues upper administration have, it would be considered."
While nothing is etched in stone, not even merging,Wagner-Lawlor said, many committee and faculty members haveconcerns that the missions of the two departments may be sacrificedif a merger comes to fruition.
"The two departments felt very strongly about wanting tomaintain the integrity of their disciplines," she said. "However,we are also looking at other ways they can make ties with eachother and perhaps other departments."
Although Wagner-Lawlor was reluctant to say exactly in whatdirection the committee was leaning, she did say members werelooking into "ways in which those fields can cooperate and enhanceeach other's research without merging."
It is likely, considering that The University's budget woesaren't likely to ease before the next fiscal year, that some typeof merger between the two departments is possible. For the pastthree years, the anthropology department has graduated fewer than20 degrees per academic year.
The U of M also formed a committee to decide the fate of TheUniversity's dance concentration in the department of theater anddance. Dance, also an under-performing program as seen by theadministration, was slated for termination last spring, despite itsstrong ties to the Memphis performance community.
The program's execution was stayed when department heads agreedwith The University to not accept any new students into the programfor the next two years, allowing current dance majors tograduate.
"We were told the program would be cut after losing a facultyposition last spring," said Robert Heatherington, theater and dancedepartment chair. "My faculty is now investigating differentpossibilities and scenarios that would allow us to continue if weget that position back and if we don't."
Heatherington added that it is not the intention of theadministration to eliminate the dance concentration. The program'ssurvival does, however, depend on the emergence of a way to keepthe program with 50 percent less faculty and less funding.
"It would be premature of me to say what the final outcome willbe," Heatherington said. "They're (the administration) asking us tore-imagine the dance program, given these new restrictions andlimited resources. But we will continue for the next two years sothat current juniors and seniors will complete the program as itexisted last year."
U of M administration also temporarily filled the facultyposition lost after a late and unexpected resignation last spring,Heatherington said. A new full-time, non-tenure track dance facultymember was hired for this academic year only.
The University has also planned the elimination of a master's inindustrial engineering and unspecified changes in the financedegree program.
During the summer semester, The U of M also announced thatmajors in the consumer science education department would be movedinto either the University College or the human movement sciencesdepartment.
The changes and proposed cutbacks come as The U of M tries tocope, along with other state-funded Tennessee institutions, with a$107 million cut in state taxpayer appropriations for highereducation. Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen approved the cutbacksin an effort to balance a hemorrhaging state budget.
Although The University increased tuition for the 2003-04 fiscalyear, the money did not mean more spending dollars for The U of Mand even failed to cover the lost revenue it received from thestate.
