Sometimes you need to alter what is tradition. Bagging the German language major is not a big deal. You can have the Lutheran faith without accomodating a German major.
I think the point that Valpopal is trying to make is perception. Although you do not personally think these changes affect the Lutheran tradition. Some traditionalist alumni and prospective students will view this as breaking away from tradition. The university is already low on funds. If they want to make the path to success easier they cannot afford to be burning bridges with the various donors and students they could have
People are going to be upset about bagging the German major? I can see theology, but people are going to be sensible over that. And BTW, Germans aren’t the only Lutherans out there. Keeping German based on tradition can go away in our nation of mutts.
While Valpo may be cutting some majors, they are adding in other areas. All is not lost!!! Three new fully on-line majors in Health Professions.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/valparaiso-university-offer-100-online-140000454.html
@vu72 this is a very smart move because the demand is escalating. The university is meeting the needs. Keeping majors based on tradition and not making change will cause further decline.
This basically solidifies the feal for Valpo moving foreword that Health is the way to go. Maybe they can begin to open talks with the Northwest Health Alliance, or talking to Christian hospitals such as the Franciscans and St Mary's in the area for on the job exp. NWI is a huge area for health and, previously, students would either have to make the trek to Indy/Bloomington, or to Notre Dame to receive an accredited health degree. Talking to the area hospitals is not dissimilar to the tactic that Bloomington used before moving their health program down to Bloomington of stationing their health programs in Indianapolis because of the large amount of hospitals.
In reference to vu72, I believe there is a Bob Dylan song that best describes the landscape of higher education.
In reference to vu72, I believe there is a Bob Dylan song that best describes the landscape of higher education.
Okay, I'll ask. Dylan has recorded more than 600 songs. Which one are you referencing? Just curious.
My guess:
@valpopal I'll have to give that one a listen. I may be a young man of 20, but my aunt and uncle have made sure I know my way around the world of vinyl
@vu72 this is a very smart move because the demand is escalating. The university is meeting the needs. Keeping majors based on tradition and not making change will cause further decline.
Valpo does have an alliance with the University of Chicago:
https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/news/new-student-training-program
Here is the piece from Religion Unplugged site, "The Decline of Valparaiso University, A Tragedy for American Lutherans."
I didn't know that enrollment peaked in 2015 (something gleaned from the article). But that does help to explain to me why I felt like VU was in a good place when I spent several weeks on campus in the early fall of 2016. My visit coincided with Homecoming and the launch of the Forever Valpo campaign. There was just a good vibe on campus generally, the big exception being the Law School, which was awash in its challenges. Overall, though, this was a more confident and interesting university than the one that I attended several generations ago.
People can defend change and the inevitability of change and the need to change and so on, and in a generic sense it's all true. But when the change cuts into the historic and defining heart of an institution, it is character changing. I am not Lutheran, I seldom stepped into the Chapel as an undergraduate, and like some here I made it through those 3 required Theo classes kicking and screaming back in the day. And yet, I greet these latest proposed cuts with sadness, because they point toward an institution becoming untethered and alienated from its core culture. This could also result in the same distancing by a significant part of its alumni support base.
@david81 Here's the thing. They are only considering cutting the physical degrees for these programs, they are not considering cutting the classes for these programs. I think the media is blowing this review way out of proportion and making misleading headlines in order to generate clicks. The classes for these courses will still be offered, most likely as elective courses, which is what most Christian Universities are moving towards. Simply put, no one is pursuing a theology or German degree, but people are pursuing degrees in health, social work, engineering, and tech. Valpo needs to make a statement soon regarding this as the media is starting to have a field day with them cutting degrees and not classes as a whole.
@david81 Here's the thing. They are only considering cutting the physical degrees for these programs, they are not considering cutting the classes for these programs. I think the media is blowing this review way out of proportion and making misleading headlines in order to generate clicks. The classes for these courses will still be offered, most likely as elective courses...
This is simply not true. Cutting majors and minors means eliminating upper-level courses required for these programs. That is the goal. These are also some of the electives. The only classes that are assured of remaining will be basic courses for general education purposes, and the gen ed requirements in these subjects might also be lessened (ie. theology reduced to one 3-credit class.) Additionally, cutting majors and minors in various areas means withdrawing tenure from faculty in those departments, so that they can be removed if they do not leave on their own because their specialties have been wiped away and their workloads increased.
There will be a cut in classes overall, and the experienced full-time faculty who teach the more sophisticated classes will not be needed or will be relegated to teaching higher loads of larger intro classes. These faculty, some well-known scholars in their fields, will be replaced by fewer faculty at an adjunct level who are cheaper and do not receive benefits. The wording by the university in its description of the plan is deceptive. Think about what you are saying: "They are only considering cutting the physical degrees for these programs, they are not considering cutting the classes for these programs." How would the university save any money by doing that?
