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Officials at Pacific Lutheran University are mulling a cut of 31 faculty members over three years at the Parkland, Washington, institution. As part of the proposed cuts, programs in classics and Norwegian studies are at risk.
PLU had about 3,100 undergraduate and graduate students in the 2016-17 academic year -- its 125th year in operation -- the acting president, Allan Belton, told local media. That number is about 600 students fewer than PLU had in 2005, although the number of faculty numbers has stayed the same. The proposal for faculty cuts came from a faculty group.
“We can’t do this every year,” Belton told The News Tribune about budget cuts. “As a university we have to decide how we are going to be a sustainable university for another 125 years.”
Under the proposal, a major and minor in classics would be eliminated, and the Nordic studies major would be converted to a minor (the institution was founded by Norwegian immigrants).
The university currently has 376 faculty members, and in many cases the cuts are likely to affect at least one faculty member from each department's, officials said.
A decision will be made by the board in December.
