In a unanimous vote, Hamline faculty rejected a motion to phase out the Creative Writing Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) program, which had been proposed by Interim Provost Andy Rundquist and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts Marcela Kostihová.

The vote on Thursday, April 10, took place after the Academic Affairs Committee wrote an executive summary stating that they could not recommend the cutting of the program.

“While we acknowledge the financial concerns, the program appears to have met the most recent enrollment goals set by the administration,” the report states.

This put the matter up to the faculty vote, the outcome of which was a significant step forward for the future of the program but not the end of the fight.

“The Interim Provost without following any sort of procedures or any sort of collaborative conversation preemptively eliminated funding for the Water~Stone Review and for the staff position of our beloved colleague Meghan Maloney-Vinz,” Creative Writing Program Director Richard Pelster-Wiebe said. “This unequivocal show of support for the MFA can help us advocate for the necessity of the staff position and the journal.”

Pelster-Wiebe said that whilst the program could hypothetically continue without the managing editor, it would cause a significant detriment to the staff and students involved.

“If we don’t get the position, we’re going to do our best to figure out a way to move forward, but it will be catastrophic if we do not have the staff support,” Pelster-Wiebe said.