How would you like to be sitting in a class for your respective major when you receive an email alert that your program is no longer being offered at your college? You spent hours and hours making the big life decision to come to this specific college only to find out that, what you came there for, will no longer exist.

Rider University students were unexpectedly dealt these difficult cards when the university President announced that in the 2016-2017 academic year Art and Art History, Advertising, American Studies, Business Education, Economics – BA, French, Geosciences, German, Italian (minor), Marine Science, Organizational Leadership (graduate), Philosophy, Piano, and Web Design majors are all being cut from the school's programs. In addition, the Business Economics, Entrepreneurial Studies and Sociology programs are being downgraded from majors to minors. I was one that was directly impacted by the cuts so this issue hits close to home.

The facts behind the decision:

-Rider is in a serious financial crisis that is attributed to a shrinking enrollment.

-14 full-time faculty members will be unemployed due to the cuts.

-Current juniors, seniors, and even sophomores in some cases, will still have time to take the necessary classes to graduate with their desired major/minor that is on the chopping block. These program cuts are not happening overnight, it is a phasing out process.

-272 Students are impacted and a little less than half are sophomores and freshmen.

-The reason these programs in particular were selected was because they were found to have the lowest enrollment.

How we the affected students are feeling about this:

• Frustration that the news broke out of the blue in the middle of a Thursday afternoon when many were sitting in a class that was for one of the slashed programs.
• Understanding that the school is desperate for a renovation and money does not grow on trees. Students are well aware of the outdated dorms and academic buildings that are eyesores for prospective students. Rider is a beautiful campus overall, but nothing can compensate for 40+ year old dorms that definitely show their age. There are also a few academic buildings that got stuck in time while other buildings are practically brand new.
• Confusion as to where the over $50,000 tuition Rider collects from each of its students is actually going. How could a school that has such a high tuition be in a financial crisis? Why were cutting majors/minors the answer to a college’s financial crisis? What were the other options to save money? Isn't this going to cause too many people to transfer? There are many many more questions floating around among the student body.
• Confidence in the fact that administration is going to help students through this time. Rider’s new president is ready to clear the air by attending a Student Government meeting to answer questions. Resident Advisors and other students who have leadership positions on campus were invited to an open talk with a Dean and Provost to help spread the facts around campus. Some chairs of the departments directly impacted have invited students to informational sessions to help guide them through this process. They will offer guidance for students to still be able to graduate with their desired degree or to find another program that interests them and allows for easy credit transfer.

Looking into the future of the university, there are talks of new, more in demand majors being offered and promise of completion of the much needed structural updates. Rider is looking to up its retention rate and they have big plans to do so.

Rider University celebrated its 150th birthday this year. As they always say, with age, comes wisdom. Rider knows that in order to continue fostering a quality education, change needs to happen. With these changes, the Rider Broncs will be able to celebrate many more birthdays for years to come.