Fifth of college faculty to go as enrollment falls

NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) — Mitchell College will lay off seven professors, or 20 percent of the full-time faculty, following an unexpected drop in enrolled students.

The Day of New London reports that the layoffs will take effect at the end of the semester. The reductions will cut deeply into the sport and fitness management and early childhood education departments, which will be cut in half with the loss of two professors in each area.

Mary Ellen Jukoski, president of the New London college, says 720 full-time students enrolled this fall when the college expected 760. She says enrollment has fallen from 800 full-time students between 2009 and 2011 to 780 in the last school year.

Students are joining a Facebook group to reinstate the professors and are circulating petitions.

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Information from: The Day