Humboldt State University's Academic Senate on Saturday grilled the heads of departments that are on the chopping block about the value of their programs, part of a process to develop recommendations to send to the provost.

Such stalwart programs as physics, chemistry, nursing, fisheries biology and English literature were put under the microscope at Founders Hall -- all possibilities to be cut to save the university some $1.3 million.

Senators are expected to come up with several packages that would meet that requirement as part of a recommendation to the provost. The Senate should vote on those recommendations Tuesday, but Provost Bob Snyder has offered no guarantee that the recommendations will be followed.

Many of the questions directed to department heads Saturday were about whether majors might be merged to realize savings, but program leaders urged strongly against that. Chemistry and physics departments chairman Robert Zoellner said that neither physics nor chemistry could assume parts of the other's program if one were