In the midst of the small effects of budget cuts, one large change may affect thousands of students.

The consolidation of the College of Education and the College of Family and Consumer Sciences has stirred questions and criticism from alumni, students and faculty of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

“It’s certainly a great disappointment,” said Jane Farrell-Beck, professor emeritus of textiles and clothing. “I understand that the budget crunch is really, really bad, but we are a very old college.”

Historically, the College of Family an Consumer Sciences has always been very individual from the other colleges.

“With many things the way they are, I can understand why [the colleges combined], but I think it’s going to be a hard one to deal with down the road,” said Mary Lister, alumna of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Joneien Johnson, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production, said other programs might become stronger than the textiles and clothing department as a result of the consolidation.

“Other colleges that are already individual will get stronger, while the fashion department will keep shrinking,” Johnson said.

Farrell-Beck said she is afraid the College of Family and Consumer Sciences will lose its identity when combined with the College of Education.

In an e-mail sent to students in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, ISU President Gregory Geoffroy said Provost Ben Allen and the deans of both colleges did an extensive review before choosing to consolidate the colleges.

“Many other options were considered by the provost and the deans, including several that would have much broader impact across the university,” Geoffroy said. “Some of these ideas may have merit, and Provost Allen has recommended, and I agree, that they should be considered as part of the longer-range strategic planning process that is now beginning.”

An across-the-board cut affecting more than two colleges might have been a better solution to budget problems, Farrell-Beck said.

Moving departments also could have solved the problem, Johnson said. She said she does not see how the College of Education and the College of Family and Consumer Sciences fit together.

“I’ve always thought the [textiles and clothing] department would be a better part of the design college,” she said.

There could be some positive effects of the merger, because it could add money to the budgets of the colleges, said Kristine Losee, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production.

“I think this is going to be a positive effect if there is a need for the extra money. It’s better they do it this way, and take the extra money than cut the programs and keep them separated,” she said.

As long as the programs and classes don’t change, then there is little worry. Geoffroy told students and faculty in the e-mail only administration of both colleges would be changed.

“It’s important to note that no academic programs or majors are being are being eliminated in this consolidation,” he said.

“Our first priority remains our students, and we will work closely with administrators and faculty of these programs to make sure that no students are disadvantaged or slowed in their academic progress because of this change.”

Students said they hope the university will stick to this promise.

“The college in a way is still going to be there,” said Brian Wicks, senior in computer engineering and hotel, restaurant and institute management.

“It’s just going to be under one administration with education. The classes, the structure, I hope is still going to be [the same.] I would hope it wouldn’t change their thinking.”

This large change may be the first of many changes to the university. It does not look like the state will help out the state universities any time soon, Wicks said.

“They’re probably not even going to flinch,” he said. “They’re probably going to be like, ‘Oh, see, they can take care of it.'”