Specialized tracks within social science majors may be reduced, said A.S. Social Sciences Senator Irfan Ahmed, who announced the proposal at the Jan. 13 A.S. Council meeting.

The proposal is a potential solution for offsetting the recent decrease in state funding for the University of California, and was suggested by Dean of Social Sciences Jeff Elman.

Currently, majors such as political science and international studies allow students to specialize in secondary tracks that are supplementary to their core requirements. These tracks make majors interdisciplinary, emphasize subjects such as anthropology, history, communications, linguistics and literature to offer students a more diverse education.

Under Elman’s proposal, these existing tracks would be combined to create fewer and broader subjects of focus.

According to Ahmed, the budgetary deficit is the motive behind the proposal.

“The department is looking at a 20-percent budget cut from the state: a $60 million