Other Aviation Courses Will Still Be Offered

Daniel Webster College in New Hampshire has announced it is ending its flight training program, and is not accepting any new students. College President Nadine Dowling said that the schools Aviation Management and ATC curricula will continue to be offered.

The 92 students currently enrolled will be allowed to complete the program, according to New Hampshire television station WMUR. Those who had enrolled for next fall have been notified of the program's cancellation.

Dowling said that the decision was entirely financial. She said the program was expensive to maintain, and that the ROI to the college after graduation was low.  She said the college had discussed ending the flight instruction program before the struggling school was bought by ITT last year.

The New Hampshire Union Leader reports that many students immediately began contacting other schools to inquire about transferring to other programs. Greg Poulin, 19, of Manchester, summed up the situation by saying "Nobody wants a diploma from a school that doesn't exist."

Other students expressed concern that the instructors for the program would immediately begin searching for new positions, leaving the school without enough qualified instructors. "(W)e know they can't just sit around here twiddling their thumbs. They have to take care of themselves and their families," said DWC student Casey Monahan.

FMI: www.dwc.edu