By ABBY BRAVO
Editor-In-Chief
As the college’s final semester begins, many questions are being brought up about teach-out options and what will be available for students come the end of the semester.
As of right now, the college has five confirmed teach-out schools for both undergraduate and graduate programs, but not all departments or majors are included in the list of teach-out schools so far. The number of schools continues to grow as more schools sign on to be teach-out partners and students search for their next home.
The college has been hosting webinars with administration to address any concerns students may have. Its first webinar of the semester was on Wednesday, Jan. 24 where administrators discussed new information and took questions from students and parents. A wide variety of topics were mentioned, including details regarding teach-out schools, concerns with individual majors finding programs and the addition of three new teach-out partners joining UAlbany and Siena; Messiah University, Clarkson University (only for MBA), and SUNY Plattsburgh.
Throughout the webinar, college administrators reiterated their earlier points about what is required to get teach-out programs approved, but added minimal new information. During the Q&A a consistent answer for many questions was that students should reach out directly to the teach-out schools they are interested in to get more information on the schools policies as a teach-out option.
While there is a list of prospective schools that the college is in discussion with, as well as the five signed schools, the lack of options for students is worrying for some students, especially those with unique majors looking to participate in a teach-out program.
Sophomore Antonio Rodriguez, a Music Industry major concentrating in bass, is worried that no teach-out school will live up to what is provided at Saint Rose. “We have such a unique, contemporary program with so much freedom in studios and in our own focus of study,” responded Rodriguez in an online exchange. “Finding another program with the same characteristics is basically not really possible.”
The same sentiment is echoed by senior Kaia Haskell who is enrolled in the Accelerated Literacy Master’s Program. This means Haskell is able to get a B.S. in Childhood & Special Education (grades 1-6) along with a M.S. in Literacy. Her program is unique to Saint Rose and she has been told it will be more difficult to find a proper teach-out school for it.
“The lack of transparency seems to have really increased when it comes to dual degree students,” said Haskell. “I’m essentially being pushed to look at other schools on my own.”
The current difficulties some students have in getting teach-out plans and advice that they get to find on their own runs contrary to what students were promised late last semester.
When asked in a follow-up email about the difficulties students face with dual-degree programs, several administrators responded in a collaborative email that “since the sequence of course completion is different for each student, teach-out will likely require individual advisement and assistance from the teach-out institution.” Provost Margaret McLane, Dean Gerald Lorentz, and Dean Ian MacDonald also stated in the email that “all programs, regardless of their uniqueness, will have teach-out partners.”
While the college works to sign more teach-out partners for majors who still do not have a program, Haskell waits for an answer about her two-person major. “They [the school] promised all students a teach-out program, I just hope they keep their word,” she said.
Department chairs have been working diligently with students and administration to find suitable teach-out schools and schools that work with Saint Rose’s programs.
Ryane Straus, the chair of History and Political Science, was asked, along with chairs of other departments, to compile a list of schools that look like their classes would match what is currently being taught at Saint Rose.
“Emotionally, this part was incredibly difficult. While finding a way for students to finish is absolutely crucial, it was hard to work to shut down the programs I’ve been trying to build since 2005,” wrote Straus in an email.
Straus is proud of what the reputation the school’s programs have as we have a wide variety of teach-out plans in the works. “I think the sheer number of teach-out options that are already available shows how well-respected our programs are,” wrote Straus. “No college would want under-prepared students to join them, because it brings down all of their quantitative measurements,” she added.
Communications chair Liz Richards, while frustrated with the communications coming from the school, expresses that students are determined and well-prepared to be successful whether they are going to a teach-out program or graduating. “This doesn’t take their degree away, this doesn’t take their hard work away, this doesn’t take away anything that they earned, but the college is a symbol of that.”
Similar to Straus, this has been a hard process for Richards. ‘“This has been my dream job and it holds a very special place in my heart… I am mourning the end of this, the end of this job that has meant so much to me,” said Richards.
Yet, the faculty at the college is dedicated to the students “We are here for our students,” wrote Straus. “Many of us are committed to finishing out the semester, even while we’re also looking for new employment. We’ve always wanted to see our students succeed, and that hasn’t changed,” wrote Straus.
While many details still remain unknown, one thing that is clear is that Saint Rose and the community that it created will be greatly missed, “We [Saint Rose] really made a mark on this city, and we’re going to leave a big hole,” wrote Straus.
