UW Budget Cuts Could Potentially Cut Several Academic Programs
The University of Wyoming’s administration has announced a plan to address a $42.3 million budget reduction in the current biennium to present to the UW Board of Trustees after a 10% budget cut in state funding.
In accordance with UW Regulation 2-12, the university’s administration is presenting the budget reduction allocation proposal for the current biennium in order to receive input from faculty, staff, students, and the public.
The budget reduction plan affects both academic and non-academic units of the university, with about 78 positions being eliminated.
Along with this, 20 low-enrollment academic programs have been identified for review for potential reorganization, consolidation, reduction, or discontinuance,. They include:
- In the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Master of Science and Ph.D. programs in agronomy would be eliminated, and the community development concentration in agricultural economics would be refocused to more closely align with the strategic plan.
- In the College of Arts and Sciences, the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and minor in American studies; the Master of Arts in psychology; the Bachelor of Science in journalism; the Master of Science in Teaching in chemistry; the Master of Arts in Teaching in history; and the Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing would be eliminated.
- In the College of Business, minors in accounting, decision science, finance, human resource management and marketing would be eliminated; and the Master of Business Administration energy concentration would be suspended. Additionally, the business administration online bachelor’s program would be replaced with a human resources management online program.
- In the College of Education, the bachelor’s program in secondary French, German and Spanish education would be eliminated.
- In the College of Engineering and Applied Science, the consolidation of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Computer Science would be considered.
- In the College of Health Sciences, several curricula would be overhauled.
- In the College of Law, the military justice/Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps track and the Summer Trial Institute would be eliminated.
These considerations to the above programs will be governed by UW Regulation 2-13, which requires a maximum 120-day period of review. The final academic reductions are to be presented in February.
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