ST. CLOUD, Minn. — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above originally aired in May 2024.
One month after proposing a series of major budget cuts, St. Cloud State University has released its final list of program and staff reductions as part of its five-year plan.
In a presentation to the campus community on Tuesday, SCSU Acting President Larry Lee confirmed the university will suspend 42 degree programs and 50 minor programs. Four degree programs originally slated for suspension will be spared: MS in Social Studies Education, BS in Manufacturing Engineering Technology, PSM in Software Engineering, and BFA in Studio Art.
The university will also reduce its IFO-represented faculty by 54.33 full-time equivalent positions, a decrease of 13% of its IFO positions. Another 8% of staff and 13% of administrative positions will also be cut.
"Faculty reductions are a direct result of academic program portfolio streamlining and a smaller student body," SCSU officials said in its campus presentation. "They are not, in any way, a reflection of an individual faculty member’s performance."
Of the faculty members targeted for reduction, 35 will continue at SCSU through the end of the 2024-25 school year, and the remaining 20 will stay on through the 2026-27 school year.
SCSU originally proposed cutting 57 positions, however, three faculty members in the Atmospheric & Hydrologic Sciences program, the Manufacturing Engineering Technology program, and the Sociology program will be retained.
The reductions will leave SCSU with a total academic portfolio of 94 degree programs (62 bachelor's degrees, 29 master's degrees, and three doctoral degrees) and 35 minor programs. According to the university, 92% of current students are enrolled in one of the 94 remaining academic programs.
"Students have showcased the programs of most interest to them through enrollment and their choices in declaration of major," university officials said in a statement. "We are designing our portfolio of academic programs to ensure we are offering high quality, in-demand programs that meet the needs of our students."
University officials say all students currently enrolled in suspended programs "will be offered a clear pathway and adequate time to complete their degree."
Here is the final list of degree programs set for reduction, according to the presentation to SCSU faculty:
- Biological Sciences, MA
- Child & Family Studies: Family Studies, MS
- Criminal Justice Studies, BS
- Criminal Justice Studies, MS (program admissions currently frozen)
- Cultural Resource Management, MS
- Early Childhood Special Education, MS (program admissions currently frozen)
- Earth Sciences, BA
- Economics, BA
- Educational Administration & Leadership, SPEC
- Educational Leadership and Technology, MS
- Electrical Engineering, MSEE
- English Education, MS
- English Studies, MA
- Entrepreneurship, BS
- Environmental Engineering, BS
- Environmental Science, BS
- Environmental Studies, BS
- Gender and Women's Studies, BA
- Geography, BA
- Geography: GIS, MS
- Gerontology, MS
- Global Studies, BA
- Health & Physical Education, BS
- History, MA
- History, MS (program admissions currently frozen)
- Hospitality and Tourism, BA
- Hydrology, BS
- Manufacturing Engineering, BS
- Music Performance, BMUS (program admissions currently frozen)
- Music Teaching, BS (K-12)
- Music Therapy, BS (not launched)
- Music, BA
- Nuclear Medicine Technology, BS (program admissions currently frozen)
- Physical Education, BS
- Physics Education Grades 9-12, BS
- Physics, BS
- Physics/General Science Ed Gr 5-12, BS
- Public Administration, MPA
- Rehabilitation Counseling, MS
- Sociology, BA
- Spanish, BS
- Writing Studies and Rhetoric, MA (program admissions currently frozen)
In addition, SCSU will also trim 50 minors:
- African American Studies, Minor
- American Indian Studies, Minor
- Applied Analytics, Minor
- Applied Behavior Analysis, Minor
- Applied Mathematics, Minor
- Arts-Entrepreneurship, Minor
- Asian-Pacific American Studies, Minor
- Athletic Coaching, Minor
- Career/Technical Ed: Communication, Minor
- Career/Technical Ed: Construction, Minor
- Career/Technical Ed: Manufacturing, Minor
- Career/Technical Ed: Transportation, Minor
- Chicano Studies, Minor
- Conflict Management, Minor (program admissions currently frozen)
- Creative Writing, Minor
- Criminal Justice Studies, Minor
- Early Childhood Education, Minor
- Economics, Minor
- English Studies, Minor
- Entrepreneurship for Business Majors, Minor
- Entrepreneurship for Non-Business Majors, Minor
- Environmental Studies, Minor
- E-sports Broadcasting. Minor
- E-sports Management for Business Majors, Minor
- E-sports Management for Non-Business, Minor
- Ethnic Studies, Minor
- Film Production, Minor (program admissions currently frozen)
- Forensic Science, Minor
- Gender & Women Studies, Minor
- Geography, Minor
- German, Minor
- Gerontology for Nurses, Minor
- Gerontology, Minor
- GIS, Minor
- Heritage Preservation (CMTY), Minor
- Hospitality & Tourism, Minor
- Human Relations, Minor
- Hydrology, Minor
- Intercultural Communication, Minor
- Linguistics, Minor
- Mathematics, Minor
- Middle School Mathematics, Minor
- Music, minor
- New Media - Music and Art, Minor
- Optics, Minor
- Real Estate for Business Majors, Minor
- Real Estate for Non-Business Majors, Minor
- Sociology, Minor
- STEM Education, Minor
- Teaching English as a Second Language, Minor
"SCSU has long contended with a budget deficit resulting from expenses surpassing our revenue," university leaders said in a statement. "The difficult decisions today will create a solid foundation for SCSU as we move forward, allowing us to innovate and grow in the future."
St. Cloud State is the second largest university in the Minnesota State system.
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