Al Sullivan, Reporter staff writer
In an effort to halt what they believe will be severe cuts to parts of the arts program at New Jersey City University – possibly involving cuts to the music program and others — students, parents and some teachers held a protest rally in front of the arts building on Aug. 24.
At risk, the protestors believe, may be the Media Arts Department MFA Program-Integrated Media Arts Production (IMAP) at New Jersey City University (NJCU).
“The NJCU administration has suspended enrollment in our program citing ‘unsustainability’ after being in existence for only one and a half years,” according to a petition students initiated this week. “The administration suspended the application before the enrollment deadline.”
The administration in turn blames the failure of enrollment on the faculty of the Media Arts Department’s Inter-Media Arts Program.
Students are concerned that the school may be using this as an excuse to fire a popular department chair, Dr. Min Kim.
Although the conflict appears to have been escalating since the school hired a new dean to head the department, the issue came to a head in mid-August when several adjunct professors said the school notified adjunct professors that provide students with one-on-one lessons that they will receive a 50 percent cut in pay starting in September.
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