UT debating ending a degree program due to the web

The news that U.T. May End Photojournalism Program due to the internet’s developments, is quite interesting to me, especially when you put it in perspective with the idea that many schools across the country have added some sort of “e-” (and I don’t mean ‘executive’) programs to their undergraduate and graduate programs over the past 5 to 8 years in response to a need to teach people about the internet. From the article:

The proposal was prompted because of changes in the news industry, especially a growing appetite for online news. Branham noted there are fewer jobs for photojournalists who take only still pictures, while there is greater need for photographers who can also shoot video and edit digital images and videos for Web sites and other media.

I think it’s a phenomenally forward looking university that can predict what fields aren’t going to be needed down the road and actually cut those programs to make room for others… while I don’t know if cutting the photojournalism degree will be a smart one or not, I do applaud UT’s ability to at least ask the question openly. That speaks volumes of their leaders.