Luther College announces cuts

The Luther College Board of Regents has approved eliminating the college's majors in athletic training and dance; the secondary education minor in world languages; education minors in K-12 health and physical education; the Russian program of instruction; and the Intersections Program (with the exception of the first-year Scholars Colloquium). The dance minor will continue to be offered.

The Regents approved recommendations from the Academic Planning Committee to eliminate these programs due to lower student enrollment in these classes. 

Luther officials say students who are enrolled in any of these programs, including new students who enroll in fall 2017, will have opportunity to complete their programs. Tenured faculty members in these programs might be given a possible alternative assignment or a horizontal change at the college.

In announcing the actions Monday, Luther College President Paula Carlson said, "It is important for Luther to respond to reduced enrollment in order to preserve the college's financial strength and to allow for strategic investment."  She pointed to this year's new data science major and next fall's new neuroscience major as signs the college "will continue to work to be effective stewards of the college's resources while we offer exceptional academic and co-curricular experiences for our students."