News Summary
SUNY Niagara has unexpectedly canceled its evening Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) classes just five days before the semester starts, leaving many students, including single parents and working professionals, scrambling for alternatives. The decision stems from a shortage of evening instructors and has raised concerns about the handling of vocational training programs. Affected students are now being advised to switch to daytime classes, which is not feasible for many. The university promises refunds for class supplies and aims to reinstate evening classes by the spring semester.
Niagara, NY – SUNY Niagara has canceled its evening Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) classes just five days before the start of the school year, leaving students frustrated and scrambling for alternatives. This decision has particularly impacted those students who rely on evening classes to accommodate work and other commitments.
Felicia Nieves, a student affected by the cancellation, has expressed her deep frustration with the situation. Having taken out nearly $9,000 in student loans, Nieves feels that her last three semesters at SUNY Niagara have been wasted. She has previously completed program prerequisites and general education courses while juggling a full-time job and her responsibilities as a single mother. The school’s only solution offered was a switch to daytime classes, which is not feasible for her situation.
Another student, Luis Garcia, was taken by surprise when he learned about the cancellation just before classes were set to begin. He described his reaction as one of shock and upset, particularly after he had invested about $400 on books and supplies and had adjusted his work schedule to accommodate the evening classes.
Dr. Maher Ghalayini, the Vice President of Academic Affairs at SUNY Niagara, explained that the cancellation was a result of several evening instructors leaving for other opportunities shortly before the semester commencement. The institution has advised students to transition into daytime and morning classes; however, among those impacted, only three students have been unable to make this shift.
In light of the circumstances, SUNY Niagara is working to recruit new instructors and aims to reinstate evening classes by the spring semester. To ease the financial burden for students like Nieves and Garcia, the school has agreed to refund expenses incurred for class supplies.
Dr. Ghalayini also indicated that the courses students have already completed will still be applicable to other healthcare fields or future practical nursing programs, providing a silver lining amid the canceled classes. Despite this reassurance, Nieves remains disappointed with how the situation has been handled. She believes the school could have proposed a greater variety of solutions or actively sought to fill instructor vacancies instead of merely suggesting the switch to daytime classes.
The abrupt cancellation of the LPN evening programs at SUNY Niagara has led to significant disruption for students who were prepared to advance their education and careers. Several students expressed that they felt ill-equipped to make sudden changes so close to the beginning of the semester.
The situation underscores the challenge of maintaining adequate faculty staffing in vocational training programs, particularly in fields with high demand such as nursing. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, the need for practical nursing education remains strong, highlighting the importance of reliable training pathways for prospective nurses.
As SUNY Niagara works toward hiring qualified instructors to resume evening classes, it remains to be seen how the school will address the needs of currently affected students and prevent similar occurrences in the future, ensuring that they can continue their journey to becoming licensed practical nurses.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Additional Resources
- WKBW: Three Semesters Wasted
- Wikipedia: SUNY Niagara
- WIVB: Student Speaks Out
- Google Search: SUNY Niagara nursing program cancellation
- WNYPapers: SUNY Niagara Enrollment Up 11%
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Nursing
- KGN: SUNY Niagara Cancellation
- Google News: SUNY Niagara evening classes cancellation
Author: STAFF HERE BALTIMORE WRITER
BALTIMORE STAFF WRITER The BALTIMORE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREBaltimore.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Baltimore, Baltimore County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Baltimore Book Festival, Preakness Stakes, and Artscape. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Baltimore Chamber of Commerce and Visit Baltimore, plus leading businesses in shipping and healthcare that power the local economy such as the Port of Baltimore and Johns Hopkins Medicine. As part of the broader HERE network, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Maryland's dynamic landscape.
