The Board of Trustees at Northwest College in Powell voted Monday night to eliminate the college’s journalism program, along with two other programs.
Trustees voted 4 to 2 to cut the journalism program. Northwest President Stefani Hicswa had recommended the cut amid a $2 million budget shortfall.
A spokesperson for the college said the recommendation was made after a thorough cost-benefit analysis.
Journalism professor Rob Breeding is disappointed that the decades-old program is going away.
“It’s a sad day for Northwest College,” says Breeding. “The decision that four trustees supported really harms this institution in a significant way. And I believe that they’re going to soon regret that decision.”
Breeding is also the faculty adviser for the Northwest Trail student newspaper. He says current journalism students will have the opportunity to complete their degrees, but the program will end within the next year.
The vote comes after months of tension between the journalism department and Northwest administration over reporting by the Northwest Trail and Breeding's qualifications.
Northwest trustees also voted to eliminate the college’s radio and TV program as well as a business program dealing with caring for horses.
