The MSU Board of Trustees voted unanimously Friday to integrate three departments from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources into a newly developed program.

The departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources Education and Communication systems, Resource Development, and Park, Recreation and Tourism Resources were combined into the department of Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies.

Long-term sustainablity of the department and reduced expenses are a few reasons why MSU officials supported the proposal.

"It allowed us to bring together critical mass, where we had small programs that were not sustainable," said Jeffrey Armstrong, dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. "The No. 1 reason we are doing this is programmatic. It's program first, budget second."

Smaller departments within the university are more susceptible to being cut, Armstrong said.

He added that the proposal was first mentioned last summer, and the timing of the movement wasn't influenced by the grave state budget situation.

Armstrong said the move will save a minimum of $250,000 a year, and over time, about seven clerical technical positions will have to be cut.

But some board members were not entirely convinced the state's $920 million budget shortfall wasn't the main factor causing the decision.

"It's too bad when things come down to dollars and cents, but that's what it is," Trustee Donald Nugent said.

The proposed consolidation, though, was opposed before being approved.

During the meeting, more than a handful of people, ranging from students to critical stakeholders in the agricultural industry, gave their thoughts on why the integration of the department would reduce academic standards at MSU and hurt the second largest industry in the state.

Moments after the board reached its decision, agriscience senior Kendra Butters could barely hold back tears.

"This is backward sliding, and it obviously does not show a commitment to agriscience education that should be there at a land-grant institution," she said. Butters said the decision reached by the board ensured that she would be doing her post-graduate studies at some other institution.

"The decision was made out of support based on words," she said. "But the support based on deeds was not there."

Jan Bokemeier, interim chairwoman of the new department, said there are about 600 graduate and undergraduate students in the three departments.

There also are 44 faculty members, all of whom will maintain their positions.

Bokemeier said students who are studying under one of the three consolidated programs will be allowed to finish their studies.

Armstrong said planning for the department will begin immediately, but a budget won't be allocated to the new program until the beginning of the next fiscal year in July 2004.

During the same meeting, the board also voted unanimously to revise the university's alcoholic beverage policy that would no longer entirely prohibit alcoholic beverages from arenas and buildings.

The changes were intended for business and civic groups that rent out university buildings or arenas for meetings.

Groups seeking the consumption or possession of beer and wine would be allowed that request if permitted by Sue Carter, the secretary of the Board of Trustees.

Antonio Planas can be reached at planasan@msu.edu.