By The Star Staff
The chancellor of the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez Campus (RUM by its acronym in Spanish, Agustín Rullán Toro, announced on Thursday that 22 academic programs with low student enrollment are undergoing evaluation.
He said the evaluation aims to consolidate, reformulate, or, in some cases, assess their viability to ensure the sustainability of the campus.
“We are committed to maintaining a sustainable and efficient university, using resources responsibly while ensuring academic excellence,” Rullán Toro said in a written statement.
In the College of Agricultural Sciences, there are proposals to consolidate programs such as Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, as well as Agricultural Education and Agricultural Extension. Additionally, the Horticulture program will be reviewed to update its academic offerings and ensure they remain relevant. Similarly, the College of Arts and Sciences plans to adjust courses to achieve an average of 25 students per section, which is crucial for economic viability.
The chancellor emphasized that consolidation does not necessarily mean that programs will be eliminated; rather, it involves reformulating them to make them more attractive and sustainable.
“We are promoting recruitment and marketing campaigns to attract new students to these programs, ensuring they remain viable options for future university students,” Rullán Toro said.
Furthermore, strategies such as creating a specialized committee for outreach and public relations are being evaluated to strengthen student recruitment and improve the promotion of the campus’s academic offerings. Rullán Toro said the measures aim to align RUM programs with labor market trends and student interests.
The results of thE analysis will be presented to University of Puerto Rico President Luis Antonio Ferrao Delgado to determine the next steps. Rullán Toro stressed that the process seeks to maintain the academic excellence that distinguishes the campus and to provide reassurance to current and prospective students, as well as their families.
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