‘Facing the future, not a financial crisis’: SIUE chancellor explains proposed program cuts

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (First Alert 4) - Leadership at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) is proposing more cuts in an effort to manage a more than $10 million budget deficit.

Following an initial announcement to potentially cut physics as a degree offering, SIUE has announced several other potential changes.

It comes as university leaders say the school is not experiencing “a financial crisis,” even adding several degree offerings in recent years. They call the deficit a “planned” move.

The proposed majors on the chopping block are bachelor’s degree specializations in art history, bioprocess chemistry, medical science, music theory and composition, musical theater, French and the bachelor’s degree in physics.

Minors in art history, bioprocess chemistry, medical science and physics are also facing potential cuts.

SIUE officials say each one of these offerings has seen fewer than three students graduate with the corresponding degrees in recent years.

“As of March 28, we have completed the process of proposing academic program eliminations as part of this process. The underlying issue is that these programs have struggled to attract, retain, and graduate majors for many years. There are remaining steps in this process for feedback, modification, if necessary, and final determination,” SIUE spokesperson Catie Sheehan said.

While proposing cuts in some areas, in recent years, SIUE has added bachelor’s degrees in cybersecurity engineering, surveying and geomatics, a master’s degree in forensic sciences, and several post-baccalaureate certificates and post-masters certificates in the SIUE School of Business, School of Education, Health and Human Behavior, Dental Medicine and the College of Arts and Sciences.

Other St. Louis-area colleges and universities are making changes to offerings, as well, in response to multiple factors like declining enrollment or involvement in programs.

Saint Louis University (SLU) is also managing a budget deficit, having recently slashed its meteorology program.

Washington University (Wash U) recently announced a nearly 6% increase to tuition, citing a cap on federal government funding for the hike.

The University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) recently discontinued several sports programs for financial reasons, as well.

First Alert 4 sat down with James T. Minor, Ph.D., SIUE’s Chancellor, about the proposed changes. Watch the full interview below:

Minor also shared an exclusive op-ed with First Alert 4.

“Many colleges and universities, as a responsible measure, regularly assess the composition of their academic programs. Today, there is a need to ensure that programs align with evolving industry needs, that they reflect student demands as they ebb and flow, that they are financially sustainable, and that when taken together they reflect a high-quality academic experience consistent with the institution’s mission. This inherently means change. Unfortunately, the elimination of academic programs today is too often understood only as a sign of financial trouble. Although true in some cases, not in all. Undergoing regular program review and taking action remains a responsibility that university leaders must not avoid amid the noise and pressure. I am certain that there were vigorous calls to keep programs in Home Economics and Radio Technology. Today, there are not a lot of academicians who would seriously argue about bringing these academic programs back.

The point is not to debate what should or should not be a part of the university curriculum. Instead, it is important to normalize the evolution of academic programs. When most American adults attended college, majors in Cybersecurity, Data Science, Esports Management, Cannabis Studies, or Health Informatics did not exist. They do today as a response to the economy, the social-political environment, proximity to particular industries, and student foot traffic. Each institution, as a part of their academic program review, must decide as a community the appropriate composition of majors, minors, specializations, or certificate programs based on their mission, available resources, and to some degree, their competitive strengths.

Ten years ago, SIUE underwent an extensive 10-month process that involved a range of university stakeholders. The process yielded thoughtful planning for changes to the composition of our academic programs that would include the elimination of some majors, minors, and specializations. In the end, no action was taken at that time. In the ten years since, it seems as if almost everything surrounding the university has changed. Over that same time period, SIUE has added degree programs in Cybersecurity Engineering, Surveying and Geomatics, and Forensic Sciences. We have also added post-baccalaureate certificates in Data Science, Business Analytics, and Supply Chain Management. We now also offer alternative digital credentials in partnership with industry that allow individuals to gain new skills that have real value in the workforce without needing to upend their life to return to college. Just last week, we cut the ribbon to mark the opening of The Wedge Innovation Center in Alton, IL. This signature project of AltonWorks developed in partnership with SIUE represents a transformative opportunity to catalyze the region’s digital economy by bringing together entrepreneurs, researchers, and professionals in learning and coworking spaces with cutting-edge research facilities. New programs require resources as we seek to advance opportunity and innovation. The majority of university leaders, especially those without billion-dollar endowments, must make choices while maintaining fidelity to their mission, but with an eye toward the future.

In similar fashion, institutions of higher learning must not be immune to modernizing operations in search of efficiencies and more effective ways to serve students.

Somehow, we are able to comprehend the elimination of jobs occupied by milk delivery men, typewriter repair technicians, or elevator operators. It is far more difficult to embrace the contemporary analog. Yet, in our daily living, it is increasingly difficult to avoid self- checkout, and half of people shopping in the grocery store aisles are fulfilling on-line orders. The elimination of some positions, the creation of new ones, restructuring, or making organizational changes should not, by default, be understood as a sign of financial trouble. In a world of digital financial transactions, there are shorter lines in the Bursar’s office and far fewer paper checks to process. The mental health counseling sessions provided to students via telehealth now extend beyond an office building between the hours of 8am to 4pm. We will go from operating boilers and steam plants to managing solar fields and other forms of renewable energy. 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.

It is important to resist the reflex to attribute every development to financial trouble. That narrative may be easier to repeat, and that headline may invite more clicks, but it can also unfairly damage the reputation of the institution and negatively influence the perceptions of prospective students and donors. SIUE is not experiencing a financial crisis. At the beginning of the fiscal year, we adopted a budget that included a planned $10M structural deficit. This could have been easily resolved by quietly announcing a 2% budget cut and maintaining the status quo. Instead, we decided to manage more aggressively with the intent of introducing changes to our budgeting processes, executing a more dynamic enrollment management plan, and addressing efficiencies in our operations. We have already closed the gap by $3M, and we are working to begin FY26 in an even stronger position. The University has a strong cash position, stable reserves and ambition to grow. SIUE remains the number one producer of bachelor’s degrees in metro St. Louis and in the Metro East with an economic impact of $1.3B. The changes that we are making are designed to ensure that the next generation of Cougars have access to a high-quality, affordable college degree that transforms their lives.”

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