Southern Illinois University Edwardsville administrators are proposing cutting six major specializations and three minors as the school continues to reduce costs because of a budget deficit.
In an email to faculty and staff last week, Chancellor James Minor said campus officials proposed eliminating the specializations in the following areas:
- Art history
- Bioprocess chemistry
- Medical science
- Music theory and composition
- French
- German
Specializations serve as an emphasis of study within a major. This proposal would not eliminate the broader majors, nor would it affect the number of bachelor degrees awarded, according to a university spokeswoman.
The medical science specialization will remain in the biological sciences major but not in the chemistry major. The musical theater specialization will move from the music department to the theater and dance department.
The cuts include phasing out minors in:
- Art history
- Bioprocess chemistry
- Medical science
The proposal also calls for the elimination of what SIUE calls “focus areas” in German, French and Chinese. A focus area is similar to a minor for students studying one of the languages.
If approved, students currently declared in these academic programs would have an opportunity to finish them before spring 2026, and then they would be phased out, according to Kevin Leonard, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Last month, campus leaders also proposed getting rid of the physics major and minor, which was met with skepticism from some faculty and staff. Administrators could make a decision on physics as soon as July.
The moves come as SIUE started the fiscal year with a $10.3 million deficit, spending about $338 million and bringing in $327 million. However, Minor noted in the letter that the university’s deficit is projected to stand at $7 million at the end of June.
In an op-ed in the Edwardsville Intelligencer, Minor argued the elimination of academic programs should not be “understood only as a sign of financial trouble.”
“Although true in some cases, not in all,” Minor wrote. “Undergoing regular program review and taking action remains a responsibility that university leaders must not avoid amid the noise and pressure.”
The change in majors offered reflects the natural ebb and flow of demands of the economy, the social-political environment, proximity to particular industries and student foot traffic, Minor wrote.
Home economics and radio technology programs serve as good examples of programs no longer offered by academic institutions, he wrote. Instead, SIUE has added majors in cybersecurity engineering, surveying geomatics and forensic sciences, and the university has added certificates in data science, business analytics and supply chain management.
“The biggest threat to institutions like SIUE is the inability to change in response to the trade winds that we can see heading our way,” he wrote.
Art and music proposals meet pushback
SIUE hosted an open forum on Thursday to get feedback on the proposed cuts to the art history and music composition and theory specializations, which were met with a plethora of critiques from faculty, staff, students and alumni.
Just 18 and 13 students have completed the art history and music composition and theory specializations, respectively, since fiscal 2016, Leonard said.
Attendees contend the proposed eliminations are misleading, enrollment in individual classes remains high, and they threaten the mission of the university.
“These cuts are not just numbers on a spreadsheet,” said Megan Robb, the faculty association president and an art professor. “They have real impacts on the quality of education that we provide, the morale of our community and the viability of higher education in general.”
A number of critics of the proposals said cutting these specializations would mean the university loses talented students to other local programs, and it could hurt future enrollment.
“When you start cutting programs, even the small parts of a larger program, the optics of that to incoming students is catastrophic,” said Matt Hoormann, a music lecturer who came from Lindenwood University, which has also cut programs in recent years.
Marc Schapman, chair of the music department, said he’s already received concerned inquiries from incoming students and their parents.
Another forum regarding potential cuts to languages has been scheduled for April 25 on campus.
As part of the broader plan to address the deficit, the university has also identified a limited number of employee positions that will be eligible for an early retirement program, though it did not specify how many, according to the letter sent to faculty and staff.
After the early retirement process is complete, SIUE administrators will implement a restructuring plan. Currently, a leadership group on campus has been analyzing data to understand the university’s workforce needs, according to the letter.
