EPHRAIM — Despite students and faculty exploring every avenue to prevent cancellation of the cosmetology program at Salt Lake Community College, the issue is just an informational item on the agenda for the Board of Regents meeting here Friday.

Following an April vote by the SLCC Board of Trustees to eliminate the program, department faculty hand-delivered an informational packet supporting the continued existence of the program to the Commissioner of Higher Education, William A. Sederburg. Protests have been staged and covered by the local news media this week.

But all their efforts appear to be for naught.

"The institution has moved on with this issue," Joy Tlou, director of public relations for SLCC said concerning the cosmetology department. "There are people that are exercising various stages of denial regarding the decision that was made."

The Utah Higher Education Board of Regents, which will meet at Snow College, controls the creation of new programs but lets the schools decide when to cancel a program.

"The Board of Regents delegated the responsibility to cancel a program to the institution's Board of Trustees," said Dave Buhler, associate commissioner for public affairs. "It's a tough decision they've made, and we recognize that."

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SLCC's decision to eliminate its cosmetology school was based on a combination of cutting financial losses incurred by the program and realizing that private schools providing the same training. But supporters of the cosmetology program contend it is more affordable and flexible than private schools.

Buhler said that an institution has to file with the Board of Regents when cancelling a program and resolve any issues they may have, which SLCC did concerning the cancellation of the cosmetology program.

The cancellation of the program is only an item on Friday's consent calendar. The issue will only be discussed further if a majority of the regents reverse their decision to endorse the programs cancellation.

Twitter: @FinleyJY

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