Utah State University: Dozen-plus degrees and programs being cut to comply with new law

LOGAN — The realities of HB265 — the Legislature's recent higher education "strategic reinvestment" initiative — are becoming increasingly specific at Utah State University.

A bachelor's degree in American Sign Language/deaf education teacher prep program, a master's degree in applied kinesiology, and the theater program at the school's Price campus are counted among the 14 programs, degrees and certificates "proposed to be discontinued" at the university.

"In creating USU's strategic reinvestment plan under HB265, USU must discontinue certain academic programs, degrees and certificates," according to the school webpage detailing the 14 discontinued programs.

And more program cuts, the webpage suggested, could be forthcoming: "This list will be updated with the newest on top as decisions are made."

Decisions to discontinue educational activities "have been based on an iterative, data-informed process with specific focus on the criteria in HB265, contextual information offered through the deans and USU community feedback, and USU's anticipated strategic direction for reinvestment."

The roster of proposed program and credential cuts at USU is diverse — including bachelor's degree programs in environmental engineering and family life studies, a graduate certificate in the National Environmental Policy Act, a doctoral degree specialization in psychology data science and research methodology, and an undergraduate degree in agricultural communication.

Sponsors of HB265 have offered assurances that students who have already started programs won't "have the rug pulled out from underneath them" and will be allowed to complete the programs they are in.

Program cuts: 'Data-informed, reevaluated multiple times'

In a letter sent Friday to all USU employees, interim President Alan L. Smith noted that "no single metric" determined the educational activities to be discontinued.

"And no specific algorithm could be generated that would produce the list of activities for us — making decisions in context necessarily requires the application of human judgment. This acknowledged, please know that decisions were data-informed and reevaluated multiple times by (USU Provost Laurens Smith's) team and then by others, including myself," he said.

Smith added in his letter 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.

"Nonetheless, positions across the institution may have role statement changes, job description adjustments, or otherwise be impacted or vacated," he said.

Smith also reminded USU employees of the school's ongoing voluntary separation program.

College mergers at USU

The announcement that specific degrees, programs and certificates are being cut is the latest major news out of USU in recent weeks as it seeks compliance with HB265.

Smith has signaled that job layoffs are inevitable — and earlier this month the interim president announced the mergers of several existing colleges at the school.

The first will be a merger of the Caine College of the Arts, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and College of Science.

Joe Ward, the current dean of the school's College of Humanities and Social Sciences, will lead the new college.

The second structural change calls for merging the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources and the College of Agricultural and Applied Sciences — forming a new college, according to Smith, "that aligns with those found at several thriving land-grant institutions."

The dean of that new college is to be determined.

"In both cases, these mergers will strategically enhance academic programming, foster interdisciplinary scholarship, and significantly improve our ability to meet the evolving needs of our students and the state of Utah," wrote Smith.

Higher ed institutions finalizing plans for state review

The evolving restructuring happening in Logan reflects similar efforts developing at all of Utah's public degree-granting institutions in order to comply with HB265 — the recently passed legislation requiring schools to reallocate millions to programs determined to be of highest value.

In the coming weeks, USU and the state's other public institutions of higher education will present their strategic plans to the Utah System of Higher Education and, later, to state lawmakers.

If their recommended reallocations are approved, they can reclaim the 10% of their annual budget that was cut earlier this year as part of the strategic reinvestment process.

Leaders at USU are tasked with absorbing a $4.8 million budget cut from the 2024 Legislature even while addressing the $12.5 million being withheld, at least temporarily, through HB265.

"If our proposal is accepted, we will then recover these dollars, but they must be spent in the proposed new ways," wrote Smith last month. "These ways will naturally align with our mission and various strategic priorities yet will only be achievable by pivoting away from some of our previous structures, programs, and people.

"This will be incredibly hard for us even if in the interest of the long-term health and success of USU."

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