Colleges Cut Programs Amid Financial Concerns

Let me paint you a picture—one of empty classrooms and silenced orchestras. Yes, folks, our beloved institutions of higher learning are in the throes of an economic meltdown. Despite the incessant tuition hikes, colleges are scrambling to make ends meet by slashing programs and laying off faculty. If you thought the past few years were bad, think again.

The Impact on Students and Faculty

St. Cloud State University heard the sound of silence a little too literally. They are eliminating 42 degree programs and 50 minors. And if that wasn’t enough, their entire music department is kaput, all due to budget cuts. Christina Westman, a student, said the situation has left her “anxiety-ridden,” as she had to transfer schools in order to continue in the program she wanted.

The 2020 health emergency caused a significant drop in college enrollment, a decline that hasn’t rebounded. Couple that with the lower birth rates during the Great Recession, and you’ve got a shrinking pool of potential students, making financial sustainability a pipe dream for many institutions.

Some colleges, like West Virginia University (WVU), are taking it up a notch by evaluating nearly half of their academic programs to make up for a whopping $45 million budget deficit. WVU has already merged some of its colleges and is looking to streamline further—a move that could serve as a template for other struggling institutions.

US colleges are cutting majors and slashing programs after years of putting it off https://t.co/8KmaleyqdZ

— Voice of America (@VOANews) August 12, 2024

Streamlining Academic Offerings

Buffalo State University has also decided to downsize its offerings, announcing back in May that it would be cutting 37 low-performing programs. This affects 34 students but aims to help eliminate a $16.5 million structural deficit. Buffalo reportedly had a year-long hiring freeze in place as well and has seen an enrollment decrease of over 40% in the last ten years.

Fallout and Future Implications

Reports indicate that a number of schools not yet making cuts are looking into where they might be able to. The most vulnerable programs are smaller ones with fewer students and those in the humanities. Bryan Alexander, a scholar at Georgetown University, called the situation a “humanitarian disaster” for students as well as faculty and staff involved in these types of programs. “It’s an open question to what extent colleges and universities can cut their way to sustainability,” he added.

Even the federal government’s latest overhaul of financial aid applications is adding a cloud of uncertainty for students attempting to navigate these tumultuous waters. The result? Academic institutions are being forced to reevaluate their priorities, potentially trading off academic diversity for financial viability.

Conclusion

So there you have it, folks. Colleges and universities are caught between a rock and a hard place, making cuts that ripple out to affect every facet of academic life. Buckle up, because as institutions like St. Cloud State and WVU show us, we’re just scratching the surface of what could be a seismic shift in higher education. Who knows? Maybe soon they’ll be cutting the “fluff” of classic education for courses on financial survival instead.