🔒UConn to vote on eliminating three additional academic programs

The University of Connecticut Board of Trustees on Wednesday is scheduled to consider closing three more academic programs as part of an ongoing review of low-enrollment offerings.

According to the meeting agenda, trustees will vote on proposals to discontinue the master of arts in survey research and data analysis and a related graduate certificate in survey research, both in the School of Public Policy, as well as a post-baccalaureate certificate in occupational safety and health in the Department of Allied Health Sciences.

UConn administrators said the survey research program dates back to the 1980s, when demand for public opinion polling was stronger and the university maintained its own polling infrastructure. A 2022 internal review attempted to broaden the curriculum to include data analytics, but enrollment did not rebound.

Admission to the master’s program was suspended in fall 2024, and to the graduate certificate in spring 2025.

Currently, three students are enrolled in the master’s degree and eight in the certificate. University documents state all have been notified of the pending closure and have individualized plans that will allow them to complete their degrees by fall 2028 at the latest. Some survey research courses will continue as electives within UConn’s public policy master’s programs.

The occupational safety and health certificate was first offered in 2011 as a non-degree option for people working in fields related to safety, human resources and workplace compliance. Enrollment has steadily declined in recent years, falling from 12 to 16 students per year through 2021 to four or fewer since 2022.

The program director is retiring, and admissions were suspended in the 2024-25 academic year.

A UConn spokesperson said academic reviews of low-enrollment programs are routine at colleges nationwide and are intended to ensure that resources are directed to areas of greatest impact. The university is consolidating some offerings to increase student interest, while a small number of programs have been closed, suspended or modified.

An update on the broader review is expected in early 2026, the spokesperson said.

The proposed closures follow a sweeping review earlier this year that resulted in seven academic programs being eliminated and dozens placed under monitoring for low completion rates. UConn launched the formal low-enrollment review process in fall 2024.

The Board of Trustees meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Wilbur Cross Building in Storrs. A livestream and recording will be available through UConn’s Board of Trustees website.