For many students facing possible program cuts next year, finals week looms larger than usual – tests, papers and the college application process all over again.

The April 10 announcement of the strategic plan has induced confusion, stress, sadness and frustration among affected students. The announcement also came two weeks before finals, and as application deadlines continued to slip through their busy fingers, many students said that the administration acted too late.

“I missed most of the application deadlines,” said Christine Pleban, a communications sophomore in broadcast journalism. “I even contacted most of the schools I was interested in, but they are all at full enrollment and won’t even consider the circumstances.”

According to Pleban, better timing of the cuts might have changed her decision to come back to New Orleans for school.

“I’m asking myself, ‘Why didn’t I stay where I was?’ If I had known about the cuts beforehand, I would have reconsidered coming back to Loyola,” she said.

Alex Hemard, computer science sophomore, also criticized the bad timing.

“It’s way late. I could have stayed in Chicago; I was situated up there. I had to get out of a year-long lease,” he said. “I had to go through all that crap to come back just to get kicked out.”

Hemard is also frustrated with the way the administration handled the announcement. “The whole thing was poorly executed. I got an e-mail saying that my major had been cut, and then another from Kathy Gros, saying, ‘Correction: It has been proposed that your major be cut.’ If you’re going to make a decision, then make a decision and let me get on with my life,” Hemard said.

Jon Robles, communications freshman in broadcast journalism, said he could not make sense of the cuts in communications.

“I think that the cuts they are making are a big mistake for this city and this time … On every corner of this city is a news story. The city is at the epicenter of the media right now,” he said.

It doesn’t make sense for a Jesuit institution to cut its education program, either, according to elementary education freshman Madeleine Adams.

“We’re so proud of our Jesuit tradition, but if we cut education, there won’t be anyone to teach the tradition or carry on the legacy,” she said. “Our future lies with the kids that someone has to teach.”

Stephen Ware, computer science sophomore, sees no benefit in cutting the computer program. He said he completed his own outline of the school’s expenses for the program.

“In the short run, Loyola will lose money from cutting the program – around $400,000 next year. The school will save money after the first few years by not paying professors, but by then there will be no new students coming in either, so they’ll break even. But They’ll break even as the only Jesuit institution without a computer science program,” he said.

Ware has sent his findings to the administration, but response has been minimal.

“My numbers may be wrong, but no one will tell me what the right ones are,” he said.

The restructuring has forced some students to make tough decisions about their futures. Pleban fears she will be forced to choose between her happiness and her future success.

“I’d be leaving my friends and my activities; I’m a student leader, and (I play) soccer. Do I choose being happy for my last two years of college, or do I get a degree that will ensure that I’m successful?” she said. “Part of me thinks, ‘The school isn’t supporting me, so why should I support the school?’ I know what I want to do with my life, but I won’t jeopardize my future for Loyola.”

Robles has a similar attitude.

“Many people assume that freshmen don’t really know what they want to do with their lives – not me. When you have a passion, you follow through with it,” he said.

Robles has other universities with broadcast programs in mind, but he said his search has been tough, since only about 100 schools in the country offer those programs.

Ware plans to work out a contract major for computer science.

“I’m going to stay, even though they don’t seem to want me to,” he said.

Pleban said she plans to transfer unless things turn out in her favor, and Adams is still hunting for other universities.

“I feel like I had to fight to get back here – and now my fight wasn’t worth anything,” she said.

Pleban asked: “We’re the few who came back, who are committed to Loyola and New Orleans. We’re passionate. Why do they want to kick us out?”

Jordan Schneider can be reached at [email protected].