UL System Embraces New Low-Completer Program Review

Published on under 2011 / News

BATON ROUGE – There are 212 degree programs in the University of Louisiana System that have been targeted for consolidation or termination under the Louisiana Board of Regents’ new low-completer guidelines.  Over 100 of those programs are in teacher education, an area previously exempt from any low-completer review.  Furthermore, degree programs associated with general education such as math, English, history and chemistry were previously excluded from review.

“This does not mean these programs will automatically go away.  It means we must review student needs and program effectiveness to justify maintaining the programs or consolidating for more efficient delivery,” said UL System President Randy Moffett.  “This is a healthy process, and we are pleased the Board of Regents has stepped up its efforts in reviewing under-performing programs.  This more-stringent review is consistent with our streamlining and efficiencies initiatives.”

Over the past two years, the UL System has eliminated 56 academic degree programs.  Of the 56, 24 were identified as low-completers under the Regents’ previous guidelines and 32 were campus initiated.    In addition to eliminations, the UL System has initiated a 120-hour degree requirement standard to decrease time to graduation for students.

Previous low-completer review guidelines:

  • Undergraduate Programs: an average of eight completers per year or a minimum of 40 graduates within five years.
  • Masters/Specialist Programs: an average of five completers per year or a minimum of 25 graduates within five years.
  • Doctoral Programs: an average of two completers per year or a minimum of 10 graduates within five years.
  • PROGRAM REVIEW EXEMPTIONS: Teacher education and general education-related programs.

New low-completer review guidelines:

  • Undergraduate Programs: an average of eight completers per year or a minimum of 24 graduates within three years.
  • Masters/Specialist Programs: an average of five completers per year or a minimum of 15 graduates within three years.
  • Doctoral Programs: an average of two completers per year or a minimum of six graduates within three years.
  • PROGRAM REVIEW EXEMPTIONS: None.

“The number of programs identified is not a surprise, as our system offers the largest number of degree programs, especially in the areas of teacher education,” said Moffett.

In 2009-10 the UL System’s eight universities awarded 13,346 degrees.  The following are the UL System’s share of Louisiana public baccalaureate and graduate degrees:

  • 100 percent of pharmacy
  • 76 percent of nursing
  • 65 percent of education
  • 61 percent of computer/information sciences
  • 55 percent of health and clinical sciences
  • 53 percent of business
  • 51 percent of engineering

For more information about the UL System and its streamlining and efficiencies efforts, visit www.ulsystem.edu/budget.

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EIGHT UNIVERSITIES STRONG: The University of Louisiana System is the largest higher education system in the state enrolling over 83,000 students at Grambling State University, Louisiana Tech University, McNeese State University, Nicholls State University, Northwestern State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the University of Louisiana at Monroe.