Las Vegas Sun

UNLV is dissolving University College, a four-year-old academic college that served more than 2,000 students last fall.

The college, which opened in 2004, provides advising and other guidance to students who have not declared a major.

The division also offers a bachelor of university studies degree, a program that allowed students to create their own major using coursework from two areas of study, such as business and early education for students interested in opening a day-care center.

Existing students will be allowed to finish their degrees, but the college will stop accepting new students in September.

UNLV Executive Vice President and Provost Neal Smatresk said University College advisers and other staff will continue working with freshmen and transfer students as members of a newly established Academic Success Center, which helps new students adjust to college life -- one of University College's goals.

Students interested in interdisciplinary degrees will still be able to pursue one with the College of Liberal Arts.

"It's not like we're losing University College," Smatresk said. "We're focusing them on the learning support piece, and we're handing the interdisciplinary studies piece off to Liberal Arts.

Smatresk said the decision to eliminate University College was not a product of budget cuts. Still, he acknowledged that dismantling University College will allow UNLV to create the Academic Success Center without investing a large number of new resources.

Ann McDonough, interim dean of University College, was out of the office today and could not be reached for comment.