EDITORIAL: Following Through

Having eliminated two de-Having eliminated two de-partments, the UniversityHaving eliminated two de-partments, the Universitymust make sure they con-Having eliminated two de-partments, the Universitymust make sure they con-tinue as programsHaving eliminated two de-partments, the Universitymust make sure they con-tinue as programs___________________________ Stevens has repeatedly assured everyone that they will be replaced by interdepartmental programs, similar to Biological Basis of Behavior and International Relations. But, as quick as she issues another assurance, faculty and students faithful to the Am Civ and Regional Science Departments express skepticism about whether the two can survive as programs. Regional Science Chairperson Stephen Gale calls it the "end of ... regional science at the University." Fagin calls it "consolidating and streamlining." She assures us they will be just as strong as programs as they were as departments. Maybe so. But if this is to be the case then the School of Arts and Sciences must make every effort to make sure these programs succeed. It must facilitate the transition from department to program in every way possible for everyone involved, from faculty to students. Having already guaranteed that faculty in these departments will not lose their jobs, it must also pledge to hire more faculty specializing in those fields of study to replace them. It must make sure that the fledgling programs will be publicized as widely as they were before. It must provide them the resources to function effectively, even in a time of budget cuts and constraints. But most of all, it must ensure that the legacy of academic excellence these departments have brought the University survives. With its status as an institution of higher learning slipping every year, the University can not afford to lose two fields of study that not only worked, but worked well.