Classrooms from Sanford Hall
(above) to Walker Hall are filled to capacity as faculty members
are not replaced due to a state hiring freeze.
Appalachian State
University’s economic difficulties caused class size increases
this year affecting many academic departments and causing problems
for both faculty and students.
“[Classes are] harder without a one-on-one relationship
with your teacher,” said Emily W. Montague, a freshman marketing
major.
The class size increases
hit 1000 level courses hard, making freshmen a large group of budget
cut victims.
In past years, the Department of English capped
the maximum number of students in their 80 class sections of Expository
Writing at 22 students.
Recent budget cuts forced the department to increase
that number to 24 students this year, said Dr. David P. Haney, the
department chair.
The Department of English took actions to meet the cuts that would
have the least impact on student learning, said Haney.
Freshman Allison D. Kesling said she experienced no serious effects
because of the larger class sizes. This semester classes are the
same size as classes in high school, said Kesling
Acting on encouragement from administration, the Department of English
canceled under-enrolled class sections. Students in those sections
were moved to other sections that could accommodate them, said Haney.
“I don’t think it had a major effect,” said Haney.
The Hayes School of Music had to accommodate 72 extra students in
Introduction to Music but was only able to teach 12 sections of
the class.
This forced the school to increase maximum enrollment of the class
from 59 students to 65 students this year, said Dr. Bill Harbinson,
dean of the School of Music.
Class size increases will not affect the quality of student instruction,
said Harbinson.
The Department of History experienced similar class size increases
in World Civilization courses, said Dr. James R. Goff Jr., professor
of history.
“It changed the way I teach the course,” said Goff. “As
the classes get larger, the types of assignments change. That’s
the price you pay.”
Goff said he was forced to eliminate some of the larger assignments
he normally gives students because the increase gives him less time
to grade them.
Cuts also forced the Department of English to cut resources normally
used for guest lecturers and events like the Visiting Writers Series,
said Haney.
The School of Music also suffered similar setbacks.
Harbinson said resources were cut from the funds that sponsor visiting
artists and programs like Guitar Fest.
“We’re going to have to weather a period of belt tightening,”
said Harbinson. “For the short term, it’s going to be
worse. In the long term, I’m confident that the economy [will
improve].”
Despite the setbacks caused by the budget cuts, Haney and Harbinson
both said they agreed the administration distributed cuts fairly
throughout the university.
Haney said cuts kept him from hiring part-time faculty he would
have hired under normal circumstances.
The lack of funds also hindered professors’ independent research
for this year.
If the state wishes to have high quality institutions, it must take
definite action to provide universities with money, said Haney.
