As the dismal news about the current state of universities keeps on rolling out, it’s hard not to think the whole university sector is going to hell in a handbasket. The most disheartening thing I probably heard last week was this shit nugget:
Waterloo is not eliminating specific programs, but is discouraging undergraduate classes with fewer than 10 students, a move Dr. Chakma said will likely lead to fewer courses, especially in smaller departments. Classes of fewer than 10 students will no longer be counted in a professor’s teaching load.
I was an undergrad at the University of Winnipeg in the 1990s, and by the time I hit fourth year, most of my classes had 10 students or fewer. That kind of intense learning experience was a major factor in my decision to go to grad school. I really hate to think that this is the direction Waterloo is going in, and that other schools could follow. And isn’t it convenient for Waterloo that they don’t have to make this a formal policy. They can just force professor’s hands instead.
I would love to hear from grad students, administrators and profs who are living through these kinds of cuts and changes right now. Is this kind of news something that you can just ignore until September? Or is it affecing your work and study environment already?
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