School of Nursing cuts enrollment by 25 percent in light of budget cuts

The School of Nursing will accept 25 percent fewer undergraduate applicants for the coming year, leaving some nursing students shocked and hopefuls worried.

Kristen Swanson, dean of the school, said the enrollment cut is necessary because of the looming state budget cut. She said about 50 fewer students will receive admission for next year, which begins with the May 9 start to the summer session.

“(The undergraduate program) is the biggest program we have and it’s the area around which we could make our cuts,” she said.

“Some of our programs are only 20 students, such as the masters program,” she added. “If I cut 25 percent of that program, that would only be five students, I wouldn’t be saving any money, and the program would be deeply hurt.”

Swanson added the school has yet to make a final decision on further cost-cutting measures.

As a result of the cut, the admissions cycle for the two programs that offer training to become a registered nurse — the 24 month Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and the 14 month Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program — will be modified.

Before the enrollment cut, the school accepted students for both programs in January and in May, but now BSN applicants will only be admitted in May and ABSN applicants will only be admitted in January.

The 174 hopefuls who have already applied to the ABSN program will have two choices for their current applications, which will no longer be considered for May admissions.

One option is to withdraw their applications completely from the school by March 1 and receive a full refund for their application fee — or have their applications considered for the January 2012 cohort.

Swanson said the new timetable would provide a more organized and efficient way of enrollment into the programs.

But, while the change might help with the school’s budget, Swanson said now is not the best time to cut nursing programs.

“The concern that I have is that if we are reducing our students by 25 percent, I cannot speak for my sister schools, but we are at a time where every national recommendation is we should increase the enrollment, not decrease enrollment,” she said.

Bruce Carney, executive vice chancellor and provost, could not be reached for comment Tuesday on whether other schools would implement a similar enrollment cut.

Liz Stocksdale, a junior in the BSN program, said she does not understand the cuts.

“Out of all the things you could cut — nurses?” she said. “It’s really sad. My mom is a nurse, and she said it is hard to get a job as a nurse now. But, I’m sure once people get older, and the baby boomer generation retires, there will be a deficit of nurses.”

Swanson added the enrollment cuts will make the admissions process more selective.

Ashley Dyok, a student in the BSN program, said she thinks the enrollment cut will make it harder for qualified students to get a nursing degree in one of the most respected programs in the country.

“The quality of the school is why I chose Carolina,” she said. “I understand they are trying to save money, but they will be making less money in admissions.”

Through the BSN and ABSN programs in the school, which cover the same material at different speeds, 150 applicants will be admitted as opposed to 200. 14-to -24 months later, they will graduate with their respective degrees, Swanson said.

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