ST. CLOUD, Minn. — St. Cloud State University (SCSU) announced Monday that 46 degree programs, 50 minor programs and 57 faculty positions could be slashed in a proposal to stem a looming budget deficit.
In an email, acting president Larry Lee detailed the university's recommendation to drastically cut expenses. Lee said the institution experienced an $18 million net operating loss in fiscal year 2023, and is expected to lose $15 million in 2024.
"The higher education landscape is facing unprecedented struggles – student enrollment declines, affordability concerns, a proliferation of higher education alternatives, public perception of college degrees, and financial strains…among others," Lee wrote in his letter to the campus on Monday. "These circumstances negatively impact higher education, generally, and St. Cloud State University, specifically."
In response to these losses, Lee said SCSU leadership recommends cutting its graduate and undergraduate programs from 136 down to 90. About 90% of SCSU students are currently enrolled in these 90 remaining programs, according to Lee's statement.
SCSU will also meet with bargaining units before potentially cutting 13% of faculty, or 57 positions.
"I understand this recommendation, if accepted, will affect people we care deeply about; people who serve our students and our university; people who contribute to our community; good people; amazing people; colleagues and friends," Lee wrote. "These measures, comprising of retirements, unfilled vacancies and reductions, are essential to eliminating the institution’s longstanding structural deficit and ensuring a financially strong foundation for future generations of SCSU students. These decisions are painful; yet they are necessary for SCSU to continue to fulfill its mission."
The proposal would also trim 13% of SCSU's administrators.
Here is the list of degree programs that could be cut under the recommendations, 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 Technology, 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
- Social Studies Education, MS
- Sociology, BA
- Software Engineering, PSM
- Spanish, BS
- Studio Art, BFA
- Writing Studies and Rhetoric, MA (program admissions currently frozen)
In addition, SCSU would 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
The university is the second largest in the Minnesota State system. In the 2020-2021 school year, more than 11,000 students were enrolled.
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