Rural Students’ Options Shrink as Colleges Slash Majors

With no car and a toddler, Shamya Jones enrolled this fall at the four-year university in her small town in Mississippi — Delta State University. She planned to major in digital media arts, but before she could start, the college eliminated that major along with 20 other degree programs including history, English, chemistry and music. Across the country, rural students like Jones are feeling shortchanged and frustrated. Many of the comparatively few universities that serve rural students are eliminating large numbers of programs and majors, blaming plummeting enrollment and resulting financial crises.