Hamline facing tough choices on changing or cutting programs

Hamline University may make significant changes to its curriculum starting as early as next spring. It recently convened a faculty committee to review its academic programs and among the recommendations made were cuts to African American Studies and Women's Studies as well as eliminating German and French.

They also recommended consolidating a number of programs with an eye toward attracting more students and cutting costs.

The university has showed signs of facing financial difficulties in recent years, including having its credit rating downgraded, but experts also say the university isn't exactly in dire straits either.

MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with Scott Carlson, a senior writer at the Chronicle of Higher Education, where he writes about small colleges and college finance.

Click on the audio player above to hear their conversation.