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St. Cloud State University
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Nursing program endures
By Kory Ellingson
Published:
Monday, February 10, 2003
Students and faculty in the nursing program no longer have to fear that their program will be cut.
Student Government senate unanimously rejected a proposal that would have eliminated the nursing program.
"It was just a really bad idea," Senator at Large Gordie Loewen told KVSC. "It was like a rat crawling up your toilet; it scares the crap out of you but you can just keep pushing it down there."
The SCSU Student Government voted on the possibility of getting rid of the nursing program at their last meeting. This resolution was brought up just a week earlier and discussed in more detail Thursday as the department pleaded its case to the council arguing that the department is growing quickly.
"We have an interest list with over 2,000 students on it," said Nursing Department Director Susan Johnson Warner. "We also admitted 102 applications for the 32 spots we have available."
The elimination of a program from a university with over 15,000 students could have caused a huge drop in enrollment for years to come along with frustration from faculty, current and future students. But according to Desiree Westby, student government vice president, the few students in the program could be better off somewhere else.
"There are less than 30 students in the major right now with over 250 on a waiting list to get in," Westby said. "I think they should go somewhere else where there is a more helpful program for their students."
Community colleges and other universities around Minnesota that already have an existing nursing program seem to be a better option for students. Anoka-Ramsey Community College is a sister school to SCSU that has a nursing program which graduates about 100 registered nurses per year compared to the 32 students that have only declared the major. But the recruiting aspect for the nursing program is working very well according to Warner.
"We are ranked third on the sought after list for why students will come here," Warner said. "Next to business and elementary education, it is our department."
The problem seems to be that once students get here, they are finding out that it's not all that it's cracked up to be. Being on a waiting list and having a short staff doesn't seem to appeal to the students' needs.
"There wasn't enough help available for me and I didn't want to wait," said former SCSU nursing student Miranda Lyster. "I transferred to the U of M this semester. It's a better fit for me."
If this resolution had passed, it would have been only a minor step in the process, but the number of SCSU students graduating with a nursing degree could have been zero in a few years, but not before it would have moved on to Academic Affairs. This is where all aspects of the resolution would have been considered and the final vote would take place.
The nursing program started last year and costs $1.2 million a year to maintain. According to some at the student government office, the money should be spent elsewhere strengthening accredited programs that already exist.
Resolutions are proposed at each meeting to help with the tough economy. Academic programs will continue to be at risk as future budget cuts are implemented.
