Academic Programs

The indebted institution tasked committees of faculty and staff with planning for changes. But this week, a dean forged ahead and announced broad cuts. Two other units are also pausing admissions.

While cuts at the richest institutions were mostly driven by federal research funding issues, many others also introduced cost-cutting measures due to challenging economic headwinds.

Frozen research funding, rising endowment taxes and other concerns have prompted some of the nation’s wealthiest universities to shed jobs despite their multibillion-dollar endowments.

Republicans in multiple states passed laws this year pushing institutions to ax academic programs that graduate few students—and requiring them to appeal to state leaders if they want exemptions. Faculty lament the trend.

Ahead of a new law setting a minimum number of graduates for academic programs, institutions have vowed to cut or merge more than 400 undergraduate and graduate degrees.

The proposed plan would cut some programs off from federal loans if their students don't earn more than an adult with a high school diploma. It's higher ed lobbyists' preferred option.