Savannah State U. Cuts Faculty and Freezes Open Positions Amid Lower Enrollment

Savannah State U. Cuts Faculty and Freezes Open Positions Amid Lower Enrollment

Savannah State University is a historically black college. As you can see below, they’re having some major financial difficulties.

Savannah Now reports:

Savannah State cuts staff, freezes open positions, forecasts additional reductions to come

Savannah State University laid off 23 employees Friday, a decision meant to address financial challenges caused by declining enrollment in the oldest public historically Black college in the state, according to a press release by the university.

The university has additionally frozen currently vacant positions. SSU will be “taking additional measures to reduce expenditures as it seeks to maximize the mission of the institution and the needs of students,” the release read.

Since 2019, enrollment at Savannah State University is down 19.7%, on par with the recent trend of smaller USG institutions seeing a decline in enrollment while larger universities’ enrollment increases.

Currently, there are 2,606 students enrolled at SSU, down from 2,759 at the same time in 2022, a 5.5% drop in total enrollment. Savannah State’s enrollment stood at more than 4,000 full-time students as recently as 2016.

With the state’s funding formula based on enrollment, officials say SSU is also preparing for additional reductions for the next two budget cycles in Fiscal Year 2024 and Fiscal Year 2025.

From fiscal year 2020 to fiscal year 2023, the university’s state appropriation allocation fell by $5.4 million, according to data from a Savannah State official. Over the same period, tuition revenue decreased by more than $5 million as enrollment dipped.

Beyond the faculty and staff cuts, Savannah State will optimize the operating costs of some buildings on campus that are underutilized with fewer students on campus. Last week, an SSU spokesperson said a committee is conducting a facility review.

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