DeKALB | Larry Gregory, assistant director of the School of Art, said the total number of art majors is down by 30 percent this semester. With that, the school of art has lost more than classroom capacity.

Budget cuts have increased cutting courses and left the School of Art back at the drawing board, brainstorming new proposals for student recruitment. Gregory said the number of students enrolled in courses justifies the number of teachers kept on the faculty board.

“We’re not going to have someone teach a class of six students in this economy,” Gregory said. “Most teachers had courses cut, and it was deeper for some and less for others. We didn’t want to do it.”

The art department is unsure at this moment of how many students will be affected for graduation Gregory said.

Cameron MacEachran, former professor in the School of Art taught a variety of courses for nine and a half years at NIU. He was let go last semester; he believes it is because of the merging of classes and low enrollment numbers. As a Canadian native, MacEachran’s visa, which was sponsored by the university, is no longer valid.

“In 1997, I received my graduate degree from NIU and was employed by the art department the same year,” MacEachran said. “All of my classes were filled, though because of low enrollment, many of my courses were given to tenure professors. I am in no way bitter or angry, because I understand the way the system works, and the department has made many accommodations for me.”

Professors Ben Stone and John Regan have also had courses cut. Teachers who are retiring soon would in other circumstances be replaced, though the decreasing number of students does not warrant new hires, MacEachran said.

“The downside for the students is the lack of choice,” MacEachran said. “With a limited choice of faculty, there is no variety of viewpoints. Art is open to interpretation; more voices and resources makes for stronger artwork.”

Kyle Weiler, senior illustration major, said he had MacEachran as a professor before, and he is disappointed he will not be able have him again.

“It was definitely one of my fun classes,” Weiler said. “The thing about Cam [MacEachran] was he would take your ideas and twist them inside out to show you things you may not have seen.”

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