In January, Sonoma State Interim President, Emily Cutrer, sent out an email announcing that Sonoma State has a budget deficit of $23.9 million. The English MA was on the list of programs to be cut to close the gap.
“As a whole, as a community, it’s a lot of shock, grief, and then also anger…For our program in particular, we were very surprised…we are not budget neutral, but we are low budget and inexpensive. So when they were actually assessing all the programs previously, they said that we were safe,” said Dr. Chingling Wo, Sonoma State English MA graduate coordinator.
With an impending closure on the English MA program, the English Department fought and made cases to keep the program. Doing what they can to postpone any official closure.
“We pushed…we advocated very strongly for our case…So the administration decided to put us in suspension, meaning that we have a temporary hold,” said Dr. Chingling Wo.
This hold will allow the English Department to restructure and submit a proposal to reopen their MA program.
In May, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Karen Moranski, sent a letter to former English Department Chair, Dr. Tim Wandling, saying, “I am writing to change the status of the English MA from discontinued to suspended. This suspension would continue to halt new admissions and limit course offerings to only those necessary for current students to complete their degrees. Per policy, a program may remain in suspended status for no longer than five years. I understand that the English MA program will develop targeted strategies to enhance enrollment by reframing its curriculum to serve new and emerging student populations.”
The English Department is developing many strategies to increase enrollment and secure the vitality of its MA program. First of which is to expand their creative writing track, allowing students to participate in a limited-residency MFA. The goal is to create an online workshop to go along with the low-residency time. Hiring excellent writers around the region to come and do intensive work for one month or so, then transfer to an online workshop. This would create more accessibility and cultivate a prestigious MFA program.
Another strategy is to partner with the Bay Area Writing Project to create English development courses for local teachers seeking graduate-level coursework with accessible hours. This would allow the English MA program to be more outward-facing and create a larger capacity for recruitment.
These strategies don’t require any additional courses or new budget resources. It relies on faculty initiative and course restructuring.
“The projected outcome is a doubling of enrollment, from the current cohort size in the teens to approximately 30 students annually,” wrote Dr. Moranski.
“A lot of our English MA graduates are becoming educators, whether it’s K-12 or higher education…There aren’t that many of us, but they’re gonna go on to impact all these other students’ lives because of the experience that they have here,” said Shannon Morehead, Sonoma State English BA & MA graduate.
Morehead came to Sonoma State as an English major because she was inspired by her high school teacher, a Sonoma State alumnus. She was able to pursue her master’s degree because she felt this MA program provided accessibility unlike any other. The affordable tuition and passionate community of peers, advisors, and alumni. Along with the resources, opportunities, and impact this program creates.
“English MA is very vital to the region. We support educators, we mentor them, we educate them,” said Dr. Chingling Wo. “We are a very important part of the region’s production of high school teachers, JC English teachers, and also, SSU’s own composition teaching cohort… If we cut away from these programs, then we won’t have upcoming graduate students or upcoming new lecturers produced for the newer generation of students.”
The MA program has an established pipeline of future teachers and employment for graduates. It prioritizes the success of its academics, professional development, and teacher preparation. Eliminating the MA program would mean disrupting these prominent roots in our region and workforce.
“For decades, the SSU MA in English program has sustained a community of learning, creativity, and opportunity in this region,” said English Department Chair Dr. Brantley Bryant. “The program has been a path toward doctoral programs, a resource for teachers, a chance for writers to hone their craft on the way to publication, and a place to learn research skills that can be used in a wide variety of careers. I think it’s vitally important that we preserve this program for future students.”
The English MA program at Sonoma State continues to produce passionate and successful scholars with its strong community, accessibility, and deep roots in the region. The department is driven and determined to fight for its MA program. Emphasizing how foundational a program like this is.
“We must understand this is fundamental; it’s not just a boutique,” said Dr. Chingling Wo. “Art programs are not boutique shops; this is human creativity. It’s so fundamental to who we are and in our ability to aspire and envision the future. Our ability to be brave and our ability to have empathy.”
