LOGAN — Utah State University plans to discontinue 14 academic programs, including the entire theatre program in Price, as it begins the next step in its strategic reinvestment plan to cut costs, according to an email sent out to employees on Friday.
A week ago, USU announced it would be consolidating five colleges into two, in its first step to address the budget shortfall in funding from the Utah State Legislature.
USU interim President Al Smith said the ending of these programs does not mean all positions in those programs or departments will be vacated, but it may mean role statement changes or job description adjustments.
“It is important to note that while certain departments or academic activities may be discontinued, this does not necessarily mean that all faculty or staff positions within those areas will be affected,” Smith wrote in the email.
The decision to end specific educational instruction is “based on an iterative, data-informed process with specific focus on the criteria in HB 265, contextual information offered through the deans and USU community feedback, and USU’s anticipated strategic direction for reinvestment,” read a statement on its website related to the reinvestment plan.
The following programs, degrees, and certificates have been proposed to be eliminated at USU:
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Agriculture Communication
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ASL Interpretation
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ASL / Deaf Education Teacher Prep Program
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Community and Public Health – Emphasis within Health Ed
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Deaf and Elementary Ed
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Environmental Engineering
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Family Finance – Emphasis within Human Development and Family Studies
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Family Life Studies
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Applied Kinesiology Fitness Promotion
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National Environmental Policy Act
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Phys Ed – Emphasis in Kinesiology
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Rehabilitation Transition
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Psychology Data Science and Research Methodology
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Theatre Program in Price
To see the full table of programs affected and its degree or emphasis visit USU’s reinvestment website. This is not a final list, according to USU. The website will be updated as more decisions are made.
Smith reminded employees that the revinvestment plan “will be a living document” and will have changes over the next three years.
“It is to our advantage to leave space for us to advance our thinking as a community over that time frame and beyond,” he said.
Between the legislature’s funding cut of $4.8 million last year and this year’s $12.5 million strategic reinvestment plan requirement in HB 265: Higher Education Strategic Reinvestment, USU is tasked with deciding how to make operations more efficient. If its proposal for how to reallocate the $12.5 million is accepted by Utah System of Higher Education, USU will recover the money over the next three years, as long as it is spent as proposed.