POLICY
Policy

Catholic university ready to ax core majors like theology, English to fund more popular programs

A Catholic liberal arts university in northern Virginia is getting ready to cut 10 traditional majors and programs – including theology, religious studies and economics – over a "lack of potential for growth."

Marymount University's plan has sent shockwaves through the campus community, drawing widespread condemnation from students and alumni.

"Cutting portions of the School of Humanities as well as math and art programs would be detrimental to the diversity of our student body," student-government president Ashly Trejo Mejia wrote in a letter to the school’s president. "We fear that removing programs will alter the foundation and identity Marymount University was built on."

he school’s president is backing the controversial plan, which would eliminate bachelor’s degrees in theology and religious studies, philosophy, mathematics, art, history, sociology, English, economics and secondary education. The plan will also eliminate a master’s program in English and humanities.

"Universities that will thrive and prosper in the future are those that innovate and focus on what distinguishes them from their competition," the school stated in an update on the plan this month, which was reviewed by Fox News Digital.

"Digital disruption, economic conditions, and the explosion of low-cost, online course providers have put pressure on universities to reinvent their institutions in order to compete," the update added. "Students have more choices than ever for where to earn a college degree, and MU must respond wisely to the demand."

President Irma Becerra submitted her plan to the board of trustees Wednesday, according to a document obtained by Fox News Digital. The board will officially make a decision on the cuts Thursday.

"Over the long term, it would be irresponsible to sustain majors [and] programs with consistently low enrollment, low graduation rates, and lack of potential for growth," Becerra stated in the update. "Recommendations and decisions on programs marked for elimination are based on clear evidence of student choices and behavior over time."

"True to our mission, all university programs will continue to be grounded in the liberal arts and focused on the education of the whole person," Becerra argued.

Funds that go to the liberal arts programs that are likely to be cut will now be funneled to more popular majors and initiatives.

"Marymount will reallocate resources from those programs to others that better serve our students and reflect their interests," a spokesperson for the school told Fox News Digital on Monday, adding that the elimination of the majors are supported by "definitive research and a Faculty Advisory Committee, the Academic Policy, Budget and Planning (APBP) Committee."

The school said the plan, however, is not "not financially driven," and "will provide the University the opportunity to redeploy resources to better serve students and areas of growth."

Students have already been alerted to the prospective changes, according to an email sent by the university’s vice provost and obtained by Fox. They were told that those affected by the changes will still be able to finish their required courses to earn their degrees. No other students, however, will be admitted into programs moving forward.