ACM Urban Education Program closed in December 2006

In September 2006, ACM President Christopher Welna announced that the ACM Urban Education Program would be closed following the fall 2006 semester.

"The Urban Education Program has contributed a great deal to the lives of many graduates of ACM and other colleges, and to those with whom, in turn, they have interacted," said Welna in making the announcement. "The dedication and commitment of the program director, Demetria Iazzetto, and her staff are evident to the program's many alumni and to the ACM member institutions. The academic quality of the Urban Education Program has always been superb, which is a testament to the outstanding contributions of the faculty and staff who have served the program during its 43 years."

The decision to close the program was made by the ACM Board of Directors for financial reasons. The program had been running significant deficits, especially since the loss several years earlier of long-time federal funding.

In 2004, the program was formally reviewed by the ACM Advisory Board of Deans as part of its regular review of all programs. The review praised the academic quality of the program and noted its important history, but it also called attention to the deficits. Accordingly, the Deans decided in 2004 to renew the program conditionally for two years to see whether it could continue its operations with a balanced budget. Following extensive review and consultation with the Deans, the Board concluded that, despite its academic strength and value to participants, the program was no longer financially sustainable.

Welna noted that this was a difficult decision for the Board to make and carry out, but one which they felt was necessary to assure the long-term financial stability of the consortium.

Located in Chicago, the ACM Urban Education Program served about 2,200 students since its founding in 1963. The program offered student teaching placements in public and private schools throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, along with courses on teaching methods and a variety of other education-related topics. Many alumni of the program went on to become teachers in Chicago-area schools.

If you have any questions about the ACM Urban Education Program, please contact Kristine Jones, Director of Off-Campus Programs and Program Officer at ACM (312-263-5000).