Applied communication students at Camosun stormed the office of the collegeB次元官网网址檚 president on Wednesday afternoon in protest of the recent decision to suspend their program indefinitely.
About 30 students and supporters held up banners touting the applied communication program. They gathered in front of a classroom green screen and marched toward Kathryn LaurinB次元官网网址檚 office in an effort to save the program from cancellation.
The group hoped to invite the collegeB次元官网网址檚 president to attend a final showcase of their work scheduled for tonight (April 13) and to hear first-hand why the program is no longer accepting new students.
B次元官网网址淲e want her to see what sheB次元官网网址檚 axing,B次元官网网址� said Carol-Lynne Michaels, a second-year applied communication student. B次元官网网址淲hat weB次元官网网址檙e capable of doing is really amazing. Media generalists are very powerful people and we want to know if sheB次元官网网址檒l come see that.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址 broke last week that the two-year media program and associated radio station, Village 900 AM, were under review, a result of CamosunB次元官网网址檚 $2.5-million shortfall leading up to the 2012-13 budget.
Laurin, who did not commit to attending the student showcase, called the visit B次元官网网址渧ery well organized and not unexpected,B次元官网网址� but held firm the collegeB次元官网网址檚 position to suspended the program indefinitely.
B次元官网网址淎t this juncture, weB次元官网网址檙e looking to cancel the program,B次元官网网址� Laurin said, adding that those details will likely be formalized over the next two months.
The college has exhausted every possible option for balancing the budget, Laurin said, attributing the decision to suspend the communications program to factors such as low enrolment and higher-than-average costs to deliver to students.
Camosun cut a total of 46.1 positions from the 2012-13 budget B次元官网网址� a number which the school hopes will amount to just 20 layoffs, after early retirements and attrition are factored in.
Three full-time faculty members and one part-time support staffer are currently employed through applied communication.
Students who are now completing their first year of the program will return in September to complete their training as planned.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e trying to make cuts that have the least amount of impact to students. Of course everything we do is going to have some kind of impact,B次元官网网址� Laurin said.
nnorth@saanichnews.com
