New Class Minimum Causes Student Uproar

A deep analysis of the policies that sparked the rumors

As students at a smaller university living on a small campus, we know that rumors fly often and quickly. Sometimes they’re of no substance, like the stories of ghostly encounters in Whitby or the pool in the basement of Fontbonne. However, more often than not, these rumors are stirred by student concern, faculty input and silence from upper administration.

Over the past few weeks, there has been a significant concern among students and some faculty about a new class minimum enrollment requirement at the university. This number, which sits at a national average of 24, has always been significantly lower here at St. Kate’s. The minimum number of students required for a class to run here used to sit at eight, then was raised to 10, then 12, and now 15, causing lots of worry among students in smaller majors and the professors that teach small classes.

But what does this mean?

Editor-in-Chief Mandy Hay and I had the opportunity to speak with Provost and Vice President Anita Thomas about the policies surrounding this new class minimum. The most important thing that we learned is that the 15-student minimum, according to the policies surrounding the rule, is not a hard limit. Of the 300-plus arts and humanities classes offered at St. Kate’s last semester, there were over 70 that got an exception to this minimum.

According to Provost Thomas, each dean is working with their faculty to decide what classes should run in accordance with the requirements to graduate. She also stressed that directed and independent studies were an option for students whose classes weren’t a part of the exceptions.

The one thing not mentioned is how classes go through the process of exemption from this student-minimum rule. The language in the policies is vague, stating that “cancellation decisions will be informed by pedagogical, programmatic, accreditation, physical and budgetary considerations with concern for student academic progress at the fore.”

If student academic progress is at the fore, why are so many students being forced to take classes through the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC) program to make up for classes that were canceled here?

I attended the Student Senate meeting on  April 5 to discuss this further and raise the concerns surrounding me on campus. Michael Householder, St. Kate’s director of undergraduate curriculum, presented during the meeting and was able to answer some questions of mine about this new enrollment minimum. He declined to comment on the policy itself, directing any questions to Provost Thomas, but confirmed it to be a fiscal issue.

The general tone around this class minimum issue varies with whom I’ve spoken to. Faculty and administration are quick to mollify and students are quick to protest and speak up. This difference in tone, outside of any issue, speaks volumes about the disconnect between administrative decisions and student input. While the 15-student minimum may not be a hard number, the concerns of students are still valid and deserve to be heard rather than brushed aside.

We, as the student body, still have lots of questions. As mentioned above, what is the exemption process for a class? Are our graduation requirements really taken into consideration? What happens if there’s no ACTC equivalent for a required class that’s been canceled? Is there any guarantee of directed study? What will happen to the smaller majors with smaller classes when this minimum is in effect?

One way that we can bring these concerns to the attention of faculty and those in charge is via the Student Concern Form offered through the Student Senate. At each meeting, concerns are addressed directly and noted by not only the chairs and president of the Senate but also by the faculty members who attend the meetings. Feel free to make your concerns known here.

All of these questions and more are circulating in the collective mind of Katies with no answer from the administration. Our concerns deserve to be taken seriously. If this dismissal of student concerns becomes a pattern, administrators may see more unsatisfied students and lower enrollment as a consequence.