Alva Review-Courier -

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas will close its School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures but departments within the school will remain open and students will not be affected, according to a school official.

The closing at the end of the academic year will change only the administrative structure for languages at Kansas, said John Colombo, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, The degree offerings and curriculum will not be affected, he said.

Budget problems prompted the closing, The Lawrence Journal-World reported.

The School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures has been administrative director for six departments: African and African American Studies; East Asian Languages and Cultures; French, Francophone and Italian Studies; German Studies; Slavic Languages and Literatures; and Spanish and Portuguese.

One staff position will be lost because of the closing. The director and co-director of the school will return to their respective positions within their academic units, Colombo said in an email.

The creation of the school about five years ago did not increase enrollment for language departments or raise substantial private support to sustain the language programs, as was originally anticipated, Colombo said.

According to the university's budget, the language college was budgeted to receive $440,947 for fiscal year 2020.