After students voiced opposition to the health and physical education department’s cancellation of the series of horsemanship classes ‘ which have been available for nearly 30 years to Binghamton University students ‘ BU officials have announced that the classes will be offered for at least one more semester.

Earlier in the month the department’s director, Lisa Hrehor, announced that next semester the programs will take a new angle and include more ‘health and wellness-based’ classes rather than physical activity courses.

Changes made to a department’s curriculum must be approved by the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, a council made up of 14 faculty members, one graduate and one undergraduate student.

Up until Oct. 19, the undergraduate student position was left empty. Vice president for academic affairs Matt Landau has since appointed Andrew Leavey to fill the position.

‘There is an obvious want for these classes on campus, and as a University, they should provide classes that benefit the student body,’ Landau, who is in charge of appointing student representatives to committees, said. ‘These gym classes have always had a purpose and should remain at Binghamton.’

Landau said that the courses should remain at BU, even if the department is taking a new spin on its curriculum.

‘Even if [horsemanship classes] do not satisfy a Gen Ed, students should still be allowed the option of taking the classes,’ he said. ‘We have plenty of courses that are offered without a Gen Ed.’

Students have expressed oppositions to the cancellation of Horsemanship I, II and III taught by South Wind Stables owner Roni McAbee. The program was to be cut after the fall 2007 semester, but has now been extended until spring 2008.

Even with the extra semester, McAbee ‘ who has offered the courses for no cost to BU for almost three decades ‘ expressed her concern and dismay that the department is no longer giving credit for her course.

‘The point of physical education is to stay active, but here the University is trying to do the exact opposite,’ she said. ‘We have so much money invested in the stadiums, but not for the average student to get outside and enjoy the fresh air.’

Many students feel that the horsemanship classes are valuable to the department’s curriculum.

Senior Martin Likewise, who is currently enrolled in McAbee’s class, offered a different take on the impact the cut will have on Binghamton students. He said the class is valuable to students of certain majors, like pre-veterinary students.

‘There are no other classes where you can interact with animals, except for the horseback riding class,’ he said.

Such students, along with others, make up between 60 and 70 percent of McAbee’s profits each year, and the thought of losing that business is frightening for her.

‘I’m still hanging onto the hope that maybe someday we can get through this,’ she said. ‘It is a very scary thought to think of the future.’