Kennesaw State’s Culinary and Sustainability Hospitality program director resigned on Thursday, Jan. 3, after announcements in the Fall 2018 semester that the program will be deactivated.
Program Director Dr. Christian Hardigree announced in an email to CSH students on Jan. 2, that she submitted her resignation to the university because her values “are not in line with the actions of this institution, particularly in the context of jeopardizing or marginalizing your progression toward graduation.”
University officials announced for the second time on Oct. 30 — more than two months ago — that the CSH program would be officially deactivated after making promises earlier in the year that the program would stay in place.
In an email to CSH students in October, University College Dean Dr. Lynn Disbrow told students that then-Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Linda Noble announced that the program will officially be deactivated after the Fall 2020 semester, after current CSH students are expected to have graduated.
The university put a teach-out in place for students currently in the program, giving students a course rotation schedule that they must follow during their remaining months in the program. The original teach-out that was announced in 2017 was scheduled until the Spring 2021 semester, meaning students now have less time to graduate from the program.
In her email, Hardigree told CSH students that Noble signed the deactivation paperwork for the program “a few hours before her permanent departure from KSU,” and she told students that Noble never explained her reasons for deactivating the program.
Noble signed and submitted the Board of Regents’ Degree and/or Major Deactivation Form and officially submitted on Oct. 31, her last day before retiring from the university.
Hardigree also told students that the teach-out document that Noble submitted to the BOR were “inaccurate, incomplete, and substantially under-represented the impact the deactivation would have on the students. It appears to be an attempt to mislead the BOR into thinking they are deactivating a small, struggling program.”
Hardigree said that the program had been growing with over 175 majors within the program. Hardigree later said that she was confused by the decision to end the program because of its continued growth.
“The CSH department submitted a new program curriculum, Sustainable Food and Event Management, for review in the Kennesaw State University curriculum process,” Disbrow wrote to students in an email in October. “After reviewing the program, it was determined that the new curriculum does not address concerns regarding proper content focus and fit with the standards and academic nature of other KSU degree programs.”
Hardigree sent an email to CSH students after Noble’s announcement with a spreadsheet comparing the changes that were made to the program’s curriculum during the review. Changes made to the curriculum were based on recommendations from the university.
Hardigree also said in her most recent email that “fear tactics and misinformation have been used to entice students to change majors, often to majors that provide no benefit to you.”
In an email to students earlier in the year, Hardigree said that Disbrow ensured her that CSH students will not be encouraged during advising to change majors.
Despite Hardigree’s email to CSH students, Disbrow has assured them that the teach-out has not changed and advisors will be available to help them plan out the rest of their time in the degree program.
Disbrow said in an email sent to students at the start of the Spring 2018 semester that Assistant Dean of University College Dr. Michael Keleher will serve as the interim chair of the Department of Culinary Sustainability and Hospitality in Hardigree’s absence.
“Dr. Hardigee led the department with passion and commitment, and we wish her success in her future endeavors,” Disbrow wrote in the email. “Even though there is a change in leadership, nothing has changed in relation to the availability of courses in your major.”
Hardigree has since secured a position with the Metropolitan State University of Denver within a program where she said she feels valued.
“Whatever you do in life, do it with integrity, excellence, and character,” Hardigree wrote to her students. “Those are qualities that no one can take away from you, and that will provide peace of mind on your path.”
