News Summary
SUNY Niagara has canceled its evening Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) classes just days before the semester starts, leaving students frustrated and scrambling for alternatives. Affected students, like Felicia Nieves and Luis Garcia, are dismayed by the abrupt decision after investing time and money. The cancellation resulted from multiple instructor departures, with the school offering limited options for class rescheduling. Concerns about the ability to provide reliable class schedules arise, prompting discussions on the challenges nursing students face in balancing education, work, and personal commitments.
Niagara Falls, NY – SUNY Niagara has canceled its evening Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) classes for the upcoming semester, a decision announced just five days before the start of the school year, leaving many students frustrated and scrambling for alternatives.
The abrupt cancellation affects several students, including those who had already invested significant time and money into their education. One such student, Felicia Nieves, revealed that she has taken out approximately $9,000 in student loans and feels that her previous three semesters have been rendered futile. Nieves, who managed to balance her studies with full-time employment and single motherhood, voiced her disappointment regarding the lack of viable solutions offered by the school.
Another student, Luis Garcia, echoed these sentiments and expressed feelings of shock and frustration upon receiving the news. He had also enrolled in the evening program, adjusted his work schedule, and spent around $400 on books and supplies in preparation for the semester.
The cancellation was attributed to the unexpected departure of multiple evening instructors who took jobs elsewhere just before the semester began. Dr. Maher Ghalayini, the Vice President of Academic Affairs at SUNY Niagara, explained that the institution had hoped to fill these teaching vacancies but was ultimately unable to do so in time for the new term. In response to the situation, the school offered students the option to switch to available daytime and morning classes. It was reported that all but three students were able to make this transition successfully.
In light of these developments, SUNY Niagara promised to refund students like Nieves and Garcia for their class supplies. Additionally, Dr. Ghalayini assured Nieves that the courses she has already taken would still be applicable toward other healthcare career paths or as prerequisites for future practical nursing programs.
The sudden cancellation has left students feeling let down, especially those who made significant personal and financial sacrifices to enroll in the evening classes. Nieves expressed her disappointment with the school’s management of the situation, stating that they could have explored more options or taken efforts to hire an instructor rather than simply directing students toward daytime classes.
The incident has raised concerns among current and prospective students about the school’s ability to provide stable and reliable class schedules in the future. As a response to the ongoing issue, SUNY Niagara hopes to hire additional instructors to resume evening classes by the upcoming spring semester.
Moving forward, students affected by the cancellation are faced with adapting their plans to the new class schedules. The restructuring has prompted a widespread discussion about the challenges that nursing students face, particularly those balancing work commitments and family responsibilities. The situation underscores the critical need for educational institutions to ensure continuity in course offerings and to maintain reliable staffing levels to support their students’ learning goals.
As the situation continues to develop, SUNY Niagara’s administration is expected to reassess their strategies to better accommodate students in need of evening courses and stability in their educational journey.
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Additional Resources
- WKBW: Three Semesters Wasted
- Wikipedia: SUNY Niagara
- WIVB: Student Speaks Out
- Google Search: SUNY Niagara nursing program cancellation
- WNYPapers: SUNY Niagara Enrollment Up 11%
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Nursing
- KGN: SUNY Niagara Cancellation
- Google News: SUNY Niagara evening classes cancellation
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