The crisis amongst HBCU institutions is growing as Albany State University in Georgia has announced extreme measures for survival. University provost Abiodun Ojemakinde has announced an unprecedented deactivation program for degrees across the university. Ojemakinde took this measure in response to declining enrollment, budget deficits and low performance of the affected departments.
The deactivation will affect eight undergraduate programs and two graduate programs at the school. Albany State University will no longer offer degrees in the following areas:
- B.A. in English
- B.A. in Speech and Theatre
- B.A. in Art
- B.A. in Music
- B.A. in History
- B.A.S. in Technology Management
- Bachelor of Music Education
- B.S. in Science Education
- Master of Education (MED) in English
- Master of Education in Science
According to a statement released by the university, “Students who are currently enrolled will be able to continue their matriculation toward academic degrees in their chosen fields. No new admissions will be allowed for the deactivated, low-performing programs; those programs will be suspended for up to two years as solutions are explored for ways to increase enrollment or reshape the program to attract student enrollment.”
Ojemakinde has stated, “There is a possibility that some programs slated for deactivation will be combined or repurposed.”
