Radford University plans to hold an open forum today to address questions related to the university's review of academic programs.

The forum comes just five days after a forum on the university's budget devolved into a chaotic back and forth between administration officials and students angry that their concerns about academic review were not being addressed. Hundreds of students and some faculty walked out in the middle of the forum when it was apparent their questions would not be answered.

Radford President Penelope Kyle said a separate forum would be held to address academic review. She cited Thursday's budget forum and the unanswered questions in an e-mail sent Sunday to the university community announcing today's forum.

"Provost [Wil] Stanton and I want to ensure that all of these remaining questions are addressed. ... At this open forum, questions related to the program review process, curricular changes, the addition of new programs, restructuring within academic affairs, etc., will be welcomed and addressed," the e-mail said.

The meeting will be from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Bondurant Auditorium. Kyle's message said questions about academic review could also be sent to a Web page accessible through the provost's home page.

At Thursday's budget forum, Kyle and Stanton said academic review questions could not be addressed because they would taint the process. The forum was scheduled in between two meetings of the university's Academic Program Review Committee. The committee made recommendations Friday on the last of 24 programs up for review.

The only program recommended to be discontinued is the school's post-baccalaureate certificate in Appalachian Studies. Eight programs received more votes for restructuring than anything else. Five other programs were voluntarily discontinued without review, Stanton said.

The review process will continue through the faculty senate, provost's office and president's office. The Radford University Board of Visitors has to vote on the fate of any program recommended for elimination. The board could do that as early as its April 22-23 meeting.

Want to hear for yourself?

Radford University’s open forum related to the university’s review of academic programs from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. today in Bondurant Auditorium on campus.