The women’s studies program at Indiana University--Purdue University Fort Wayne will not be eliminated, as was previously suggested in a plan to cut costs. The new proposal will cut costs by eliminating one job, and cutting the director’s pay.
The director of the women’s studies program, Janet Badia, says she’ll teach more classes and transfer some of her administrative responsibilities to the political science department, which will absorb the program.
Badia created the proposal, along with the help of the political science department. But she says this will be a personal and professional sacrifice for her, since she’s technically taking a demotion along with a 20 percent pay cut. She says she considered leaving IPFW, but stayed for the students.
“I am so inspired by our students. Their outreach, their advocacy, their activism… It motivates me to want to stay at IPFW,” Badia says.
Badia says she isn’t the only one making sacrifices. Some employees in the political science department will have to take on more responsibilities.
Badia estimates the consolidation will save $30-35,000 each year.
The program, which currently allows students to graduate with either an IU or Purdue degree, will switch to only offering Purdue degrees. Badia thinks this is in preparation for a possible split between IU and Purdue, which will put all programs except some health science departments under Purdue’s governance.
