October brought deep cuts at many universities struggling with budget shortfalls.

Other institutions have made smaller, more targeted cuts or implemented hiring freezes and program reviews. Some blamed this on reduced government support and enrollment problems; many universities missed admissions targets by large margins, prompting cuts to alleviate shortages.

Here’s a look at the cuts announced across the industry last month.

Portland State University

Portland State University, reeling from an estimated $18 million budget shortfall, has sent layoff notices to nearly 100 non-tenure track faculty members. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.

“Portland State University’s structural deficit requires us to make difficult compromises this year to fulfill our mission,” a Portland State spokesperson told the news outlet. “The potential layoffs are part of a comprehensive financial sustainability plan that includes a process of academic program revitalization, curriculum management, administrative operational adjustments, a focus on revenue growth opportunities, and retirement incentives.”

The layoffs come in a tumultuous year for Portland State, which has struggled with enrollment difficulties and been besieged by pro-Palestinian protests, including a four-day occupation of the university library in the spring. repairs cost an estimated $1.2 million.

St.Louis University

St. Louis University has eliminated 23 positions and frozen hiring for 130 vacant positions as it aims to reduce fiscal 2025 expenses by $20 million. St. Louis-Post Dispatch reported. Although no faculty members have been dismissed at the moment, 30 faculty positions are among those frozen.

The university will also seek to achieve another $40 million in cost savings over the next two years.

Administrators previously St. I told St. Louis Public Radio SLU is facing a budget shortfall as it attempts to enroll 1,300 new international graduate students this fall but can only reach around 300. Officials blamed the shortage on the U.S. government granting fewer visas to international graduate applicants this year. Increased financial aid and faculty research investments also played a role in swelling SLU’s budget deficit, STLPR reported.

More disruptions are likely on the horizon; somehow October 11 message to campus“We will eventually become an institution with fewer faculty and staff,” officials wrote.

Western Washington University

The public university in Bellingham announced the first cuts in an effort to shave $18 million from its budget; More are expected to arrive next year. Now I’m Bellingham reported.

The university has eliminated 25 jobs so far, 20 of which are vacant, according to WWU. Another 30 positions are expected to be cut in the 2025-26 academic year.

In addition, reconstruction efforts are continuing.

“WWU’s budget challenges stem from inadequate state funding, cost-of-living increases and high costs of goods and services, as well as ongoing (coronavirus) pandemic revenue shortfalls as smaller class sizes operate through the system.” officials wrote in a statement..

Elizabethtown College

The private institution in Pennsylvania plans to cut 13 full-time faculty and drop some majors as part of cost-cutting measures. LancasterOnline reported.

Affected majors include fine arts, sociology and Spanish.

“The focus of planning for the sustainable financial health and prosperity of Elizabethtown College is a top priority,” Keri Straub, vice president of enrollment management, marketing and communications, wrote in a statement to the news organization about the cuts.

Authorities pointed out the challenges brought by developing student interests and changing demographic structure.

Brandeis University

After budget and layoffs were announced earlier this year, the private institution outside Boston is making more changes: Officials have opted not to renew the contracts of the long-running Lydian String Quartet, which has called Brandeis home since 1980. Boston Globe reported.

The group received notification during an Oct. 1 Zoom meeting that the university would not retain them beyond the 2024-25 academic year. The quartet, located in the music department, has released various albums over the years and its members have served as faculty members.

This move is expected to save $275,000 per year.

Earlier this year, Brandeis announced it would eliminate dozens of positions due to an estimated $2 million budget shortfall. This decision, among others, led to an incident. faculty vote of confidence And President Ron Liebowitz, who resigned Nov. 1 after leading Brandeis since 2016.

University of Connecticut

A comprehensive program review is underway at the flagship in Storrs, where managers are assessing the future of around 250 under-registered programmes. local media reports.

Fox 61 reported that the program review, released in mid-October, included 70 majors, 72 master’s degrees, 76 graduate certificates and 27 doctoral programs. Low enrollment rates include philosophy, art, music, and social work, among other disciplines.

The program review comes amid a projected $70 million deficit for fiscal 2025.

“Given the university’s budget situation, evaluation of low enrollment/completion programs is necessary to ensure that we are providing the right balance of programs to support our institutional mission, accreditation standards, and meet the needs of our students. University of Connecticut president Radenka Maric and provost Anne D’Alleva are calling for prudent academic ‘cleansing’ that the university should do on a regular basis. I wrote to the faculty last month. “Programs close and change over time, and if we look at college catalogs from ten, twenty, thirty years and more, we see a large number of majors that we no longer offer.”

Officials are expected to present the proposed cuts to the UConn Board of Trustees in December.

Sonoma State University

Sonoma State University has frozen hiring and suspended travel and non-essential purchases due to an estimated $21 million budget shortfall. Sonoma Index Tribune reported.

The hiring freeze is expected to save the university about $5 million.