Local businesses affected by program cuts

The budget cuts that plagued many undergraduate degree programs this summer go much deeper than affecting just the students who majored in these programs.

 

Local companies that hire graduates with these degrees are also facing difficulties in finding applicants with the skills and knowledge gained from the UCF programs.

 

"It's beyond disappointing. We had a lot of confidence in graduates from UCF's Management Information Systems program," said Bill Harris, CEO of Tradeweb, a company that hires graduates with MIS degrees.

 

Harris said his first instinct when it comes to hiring has always been to look at UCF MIS majors first.

 

"I'd say at least 60 percent of our applicants are UCF alumni," he said. "There is never any question of the talent and skill from this program."

 

Harris feels as though the elimination of the MIS program will cause a hole in the community in the coming years.

 

"There are always good people out there, but we are concerned with how we are going to find them," Harris said. "The MIS faculty has always been great with helping us recruit knowledgeable individuals and producing people who are good at what they do."

 

Harris said that Tradeweb will now use Web-based companies like Monster and CareerBuilder more often when looking for employees.

The five programs cut by the Board of Trustees over the summer were cardiopulmonary sciences, engineering technology, management information systems, statistics and actuarial science. Students who have chosen these majors have two years to complete their degree, change their major or move to another college before the program will disappear from UCF.

 

The university chose to cut these programs due to lack of funding coming from the state. Tuition was also raised 15 percent this fall and 51 faculty and staff jobs will eventually be cut.

 

"I get that it's a budget cut. It is sometimes necessary, but why cut a program that is so vital?" Harris said. "MIS fits a valuable niche in this day and age. It is critical corporations have people who can speak not only computer language, but who are able to talk business."
 

Aaron Liberman, the department chair for the Health and Public Affairs College said 21 students graduated with cardiopulmonary science degrees last spring semester and local companies contact him frequently about any soon-to-be graduates.
 

"Our students have been in high demand. We've placed students in Duke, John Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic," he said. "It is a sad day for students and faculty but a hard decision for the university."

 

Kim Small, the coordinator for Academic Support Services for the College of Engineering and Computer Science, said that out of the three degree programs within the engineering technology department, 63 students graduated last spring semester.
 

Mike Copening, 24, a 2007 UCF alumnus who graduated with an MIS degree and works for Tradeweb is drafting a letter to the governor because he believes that the state should get involved.

 

"The overall intent of the letter is to question why, in an economic downturn and with health care being such a big issue, would UCF cut health fields like cardiopulmonary sciences," Copening said. "There are jobs out there for these majors, with Lockheed Martin right there, this is a very high-tech area. It doesn't make sense to cut these programs even if they are smaller. It just seems like something else should be done instead."
 

Copening suggested that students who are MIS majors strive to finish in two years.

 

"It would be highly valuable for them," he said. "If you're serious about technology, stay with it. Information technology professions are a more stable profession as far as job loss goes right now."