U. North Texas Cutting up to 70 Programs in Effort to Trim Deficit

U. North Texas Cutting up to 70 Programs in Effort to Trim Deficit

This is becoming a common theme in higher education.

The Texas Tribune reports:

University of North Texas to cut more than 70 programs and minors to trim $45 million deficit

The University of North Texas is cutting or consolidating more than 70 academic programs, minors and certificates as it works to close a projected $45 million budget shortfall, including phasing out its linguistics degrees and eliminating a women’s and gender studies master’s program.

The cuts are the first indication of how UNT plans to close the deficit, which it says was driven largely by a sharp decline in international enrollment — students who typically pay a significantly higher tuition — and reduced state funding. Last month, university leaders warned that program consolidations, faculty buyouts and higher teaching loads were likely.

In a message to faculty and staff Thursday, UNT President Harrison Keller and Provost Michael McPherson said the most significant change will be to phase out all linguistics degree programs and merge the department with the Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures.

UNT is also cutting a bachelor’s degree in Latino and Latin American studies and a master’s program in women’s and gender studies, along with 25 undergraduate minors and more than 40 certificate programs.

The minors being eliminated include women’s and gender studies, LGBTQ studies, Mexican American studies, Africana studies, Asian studies as well as dance, geology and special education.

The cuts come amid a broader political climate in which Texas public universities have faced pressure from state Republican leaders and conservative activists to limit teaching about gender, race and sexuality.

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