In a Sunday Telegraph feature in December, the president of Rivier University stated that Rivier was not cutting back on anything, unlike many schools. It is surprising how quickly the closing of Rivier’s Art and Music Department, scheduled for spring 2014, is forgotten. Although the Art & Music Department petitioned for the renewal of the BFA degree, which the administration had forced to end (despite New England Association of Schools & Colleges accreditation), the decision was made to drop the whole department because of reduced enrollment. A drop in enrollment was to be expected after being required by the college to drop art education, followed a few years later by requiring an end to the BFA program, leaving only the bachelor’s degree.

Future students will not only be unable to take studio art nor art history for credit, but will also be denied the option of art or music appreciation courses. Instead, an English or history professor will be asked to include some art in an English or history course. I am not sure whether the English department will also be asked to include any references to music, but some individual instrument classes will be available by request.

How can an institution that still claims dedication to the liberal arts make such an administrative decision? Will it not eventually endanger the institution’s NEASC accreditation, as the NEASC states that one of its goals is inter-cultural world knowledge? I think The Telegraph would do well to research this issue and to create a series of articles on the effects of this decision on students, faculty, and community.

Charles L. Rebeta

Nashua

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