Graduation is approaching for many students at Bellevue College, but the deadline for the closure of numerous beloved programs is even closer.
On Jun. 24, the Board of Trustees will be voting on the final budget adoption that the administration has been curating throughout this school year. Programs like International Studies, Early Learning & Education, Interdisciplinary Studies, Interior Design, Drama, Music, Botany and many more have been proposed to sunset by this date.
Since this fall, the administration has not made proper efforts to communicate timely, effectively and transparently to Bellevue College staff and faculty. Though expressed through multiple peaceful protests and attempted discourse at town halls, no change in communication or programs has occurred, affecting current students, prospective ones and the future of the college itself.
Last week, The Watchdog was able to sit down with Bellevue College professors, who chose to remain anonymous for this article. They will be referred to as Professor A and Professor B.
First, many faculty members cite the administration’s timing to be rather inconsiderate.
According to Professor A, faculty received an email in late February that brought up a viability matrix, a decision-making tool used to calculate various factors in regards to an important decision; in this case, cutting programs to fit the budget. “The Provost sent it to us, Friday, Feb. 20 at 1:52 p.m. And I remember because I didn’t even know this was coming, as most faculty. So, I opened it up and was like, what is this?” Professor A recalled.
“The fact that they bypassed faculty in such an egregious way, and it was sent at 1:20 p.m. on a Friday, you know, where people are going into the weekend, saying, ‘we might cut your program.’ It’s just really unaware of tone and who it impacts,” Professor B added.
In addition to the timing, there were numerous errors found by faculty. Most notably, the terminology.
“The proposal didn’t abide by our union contract because it said staff. We’re not staff, we’re called faculty. Which says a lot about how they frame us,” Professor A noted. They also noticed the erroneous usage of the term, ‘part-time’ when referring to adjunct faculty.
“Who’s doing this data if they don’t even have the right names for it?” They added.
In terms of accuracy, there were errors found there too. Some of the data collected for the viability matrix was inaccurately interpreted. “It wasn’t just our program,” Professor B said, “Like, interior design.”
Bellevue College’s Bachelor’s of Applied Arts in Interior Design is one of two CIDA-accredited interior design programs in the state, next to Washington State University’s. Professor A noted it as the college’s flagship bachelor’s program. And amongst the programs proposed to be cut.
“We’re a community college without any community input,” Professor A stated after mentioning the backlash Bellevue College administration received from the interior design industry. “So when they were like, ‘well, enrollment’s dropping’, they’d take that into account, but not look at, well, what are the class sizes? What are the requirements to get into that?”
“It’s financially not viable, based on improper data.”
Professor A recounted another instance of inconsiderate timing; “The Interim Vice Provost basically alerted that there were two programs that were going to be voted on the next day by the cabinet … We’re told in a meeting that this is going to be voted to be cut tomorrow. We’ve never had any emails, no inclination, nothing,”
“The cabinet is going to vote tomorrow and they might cut international studies and interdisciplinary studies tomorrow. Like, this is a done deal,” they said. However, the program was not voted on because Dr. David May was out sick, extending the programs’ survival. “And so to me, I’m like, these 2 programs survived at least a month or 2 longer, because the President was ill and they couldn’t vote on it.”
The administration’s effort to be transparent failed to fully consider the value of these programs as well. In a survey sent by President May, faculty were asked to pick programs they wanted to eliminate, without prior experience or familiarity with the listed programs.
“We got an email that said, ‘click on the programs you think should be cut.’ … I know nothing about, for example, cyber forensics. I don’t know the value of it. I’m not an expert in that.”
“Funding cuts are real. We’re not negating that,” Professor B says, “but I think the thing is, how do you move forward thoughtfully and thinking future-oriented, like what’s best for the protection of the institution and its well-being?”
When asked what students can do for faculty during this time, the professors said that students should make themselves aware of the programs that are being cut. The following programs in consideration for the budget cuts are:
- Potential Program Closures
- International Studies (AAS-T)
- Data Management & Analysis (BAS + certificates)
- Early Learning & Teacher Education (AAS + certificates)
- Interdisciplinary Studies
- Interior Design (AAS/BAS)
- Dance
- Drama
- Music
- Travel Studies
- Molecular Bioscience (BAS)
- Botany
- Meteorology
- Proposed Program Optimization (consolidation, reduction, and/or elimination)
- 3 Programs in HSEWI into 1 Program
- Healthcare Promotion & Management (BAS)
- Healthcare Informatics (BAS + certificates)
- Healthcare Management & Leadership (BAS + certificates)
- 2 Programs in Science into 1 Program
- Engineering
- Physics
- 3 Programs in Science into 1 Program
- Cybersecurity (BAS)
- Software Development (BAS)
- Computer Science (BS)
- 3 Programs in Science into 1 Program
- Computer Science Transfer (AAS-T)
- Information Technology (AAS-T)
- Software Development (previously Information Systems) (AAS-T)
- 3 Programs in Social Science into existing Program: Business Transfer
- Accounting (AAS, AAS-T)
- Applied Accounting (BAS)
- Business Management (AAS)
- 3 Programs in HSEWI into 1 Program
Additionally, students should contact the Board of Trustees to give student input about the closure or alterations of these programs. The next Board of Trustees meeting will be held on Jun. 17 at 2:00PM, both in-person in B201 or remotely on Zoom.
