25 majors face chopping block at UA

If the Arizona Board of Regents and the University of Arizona Faculty Senate approve, the UA will be cutting 16 undergraduate majors and nine graduate study areas next year.

In all, 25 majors, 16 bachelors and nine graduate courses are targeted as part of a reorganization plan at the Tucson school.

Undergraduate majors proposed for elimination include bachelor of arts degrees in engineering and all secondary education majors.

Graduate degrees facing elimination include French and the professional science masters in mathematical sciences.

Students currently enrolled in the majors proposed for elimination will be able to finish their programs, but no new students will be allowed to enroll.

The school says the proposed changes are the next step in the university Transformation Plan reorganization launched last fall by UA President Robert N. Shelton in an effort to improve the university in the face of declining state support.

The university is already facing 5 percent to 20 percent state budget cuts next year.

Together, the 16 undergraduate majors proposed for elimination have a total enrollment of 319 students. The nine graduate majors have an enrollment of 25 students.