U. of Wisconsin at Stevens Point Proposes Cutting 13 Programs, Mostly in Liberal Arts

The University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point wants to eliminate 13 academic programs, primarily in the liberal arts, and the cuts, if carried out, could result in the layoff of tenured faculty members, according to a university news release.

Administrators cited the campus’s $4.5-million deficit and declining enrollment as reasons for the cuts, according to the release. To increase enrollment, officials want to add 16 programs “in areas with high-demand career paths” such as computer information systems, finance, and chemical engineering, among many others. Eight other existing programs, including environmental engineering and captive wildlife, would be expanded into majors or degrees under the plan.

“To fund this future investment, resources would be shifted from programs with lower enrollment, primarily in the traditional humanities and social sciences,” the release says. “Although some majors are proposed to be eliminated, courses would continue to be taught in these fields, and minors or certificates will be offered.”

Before the cuts are made final, the proposal must be reviewed by a campus governance committee, by the campus’s chancellor, and by the system’s Board of Regents. The university plans to start the approval process in August, and if the recommendations are adopted, the faculty layoffs would happen “no sooner than June 2020,” according to the release.

Stevens Point is the second University of Wisconsin campus to announce controversial cuts in academic programs in recent months. Last October the Superior campus said it planned to phase out two dozen programs, a move that stunned faculty members there. Last month it was disclosed that Superior’s leaders had talked about how much action they could take without soliciting faculty input.

Though liberal-arts programs are most of those on the chopping block at Stevens Point, the chancellor, Bernie Patterson, stressed the value of those programs in a message to the campus.

“Importantly, we remain committed to ensuring every student who graduates from UW-Stevens Point is thoroughly grounded in the liberal arts, as well as prepared for a successful career path,” Patterson said in the statement. “It is critical our students learn to communicate well, solve problems, think critically and creatively, be analytical and innovative, and work well in teams. This is the value of earning a bachelor’s degree.”

Fernanda Zamudio-Suaréz is a breaking-news reporter. Follow her on Twitter @FernandaZamudio, or email her at fzamudiosuarez@chronicle.com.