Colleges and universities are eliminating faculty, programs and entire departments as demographic changes sweep the higher education industry.
Some schools have even had to shut down. The global pandemic has exacerbated mounting financial difficulties. Factors predating the pandemic have also played a significant role in the crisis that many higher education institutions face:

Since the 2008 recession college enrollment has declined by about 12 percent, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center

Nearly 30 percent of all four-year schools brought in less tuition revenue per student in 2017-18 than in 2009-10, according to The Hechinger Report

Shifting demographics — The number of high school graduates is flat — and in some cases declining — because of lower birth rates about 20 years ago. Those numbers are also projected to decline.
Here is a sampling of college budget cuts across the nation.
Colleges and universities are eliminating faculty, programs and entire departments as demographic changes sweep the higher education industry.
Some schools have even had to shut down. The global pandemic has exacerbated mounting financial difficulties. Factors predating the pandemic have also played a significant role in the crisis that many higher education institutions face:

Since the 2008 recession college enrollment has declined by about 12 percent, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center

Nearly 30 percent of all four-year schools brought in less tuition revenue per student in 2017-18 than in 2009-10, according to The Hechinger Report

Shifting demographics — The number of high school graduates is flat — and in some cases declining — because of lower birth rates about 20 years ago. Those numbers are also projected to decline.
Here is a sampling of college budget cuts across the nation.
2019-2020 BUDGET CUTS
SCHOOL |
CUTS |
SOURCE AND DATE |
University of Minnesota |
|
11-Dec-20 |
Marquette University |
Cut 225 faculty and staff positions by the end of June 2022 |
10-Dec-20 |
College of Saint Rose |
$5.97 million reduction in academic expenses
|
8-Dec-20 |
Central Michigan University |
|
1-Dec-20 |
Misericordia University |
|
10-Nov-20 |
Doane University |
$3.6 million in budget cuts
|
10-Nov-20 |
Guilford College |
$7 million in budget cuts to the 2021-2022 school year.
|
9-Nov-20 |
University of Delaware |
|
29-Oct-20 |
Ithaca College |
Cut its full-time faculty count by 130, from 547 total, by 2022. |
15-Oct-20 |
City University of New York |
|
15-Oct-20 |
Thomas Jefferson University |
|
13-Oct-20 |
Duke University |
|
8-Oct-20 |
University of Memphis |
|
7-Oct-20 |
Miami University |
|
6-Oct-20 |
Ball State University |
|
10/6/20 |
Pomona College |
Furloughed more than 260 non-faculty staff |
24-Sep-20 |
Western Michigan University |
Cut $76M in 2020-21
|
18-Sep-20 |
Marist College |
Laid off roughly 10 administrative assistants |
18-Sep-20 |
Adelphi University |
|
17-Sep-20 |
Scripps College |
Scripps was initially able to save $11 million through cuts and will save another $7.2 million through furloughs and other additional actions
|
15-Sep-20 |
Pomona College |
Temporary furlough for 264 non-faculty |
10-Sep-20 |
Smith College |
Estimated $10 million loss 230 employees furloughed for fall, 48 on partial and 182 on full senior admin pay cuts up to 20%, suspension of capital projects |
10-Sep-20 |
Carthage College |
|
4-Aug-20 |
Ashland University |
Eliminate 20 undergraduate degree over the next few years including French, Spanish, Geology, Physics, Economics and Theatre |
27-Jul-20 |
Canisius College |
|
20-Jul-20 |
University of Missouri |
|
17-Jul-20 |
University of Akron |
|
16-Jul-20 |
Carleton College |
|
10-Jul-20 |
Antioch College |
Cut $2.5 million, more than 20 %.
|
9-Jul-20 |
Boston University |
|
29-Jun-20 |
University of Michigan, Flint |
|
22-Jun-20 |
Wittenberg University |
Cut $2.5 million from academic program expenses.
|
22-Jun-20 |
University of Michigan |
Preparing for up to $1 billion in budget shortfall at 3 campuses
|
19-Jun-20 |
University of Iowa |
|
17-Jun-20 |
Fort Lewis College |
Cut $1.85 million from the general fund budget
|
15-Jun-20 |
Keuka College |
|
13-Jun-20 |
Elmira College |
|
5-Jun-20 |
Michigan State University |
|
2-Jun-20 |
Lewis-Clark State College |
|
2-Jun-20 |
Brown University |
Eliminated 11 varsity sports and promoted two others to varsity status |
1-Jun-20 |
Lafayette College |
|
29-May-20 |
Earlham College |
|
28-May-20 |
University of Miami |
|
22-May-20 |
Cleveland State University |
|
22-May-20 |
Ohio Wesleyan |
Cuts totaling $10 million annually
|
19-May-20 |
Ohio University |
|
15-May-20 |
Clark College |
$5.5 million in budget cuts
|
15-May-20 |
Kean University |
Estimated $20 million budget deficit
|
15-May-20 |
Missouri Western State University |
Cut 30% of the faculty
|
14-May-20 |
Kent State |
Decline in revenue of $110 million, aim to reduce budget by 20%
|
6-May-20 |
Western Michigan University |
Estimated loss of $85 million
|
6-May-20 |
Idaho State |
Estimated $16 million deficit
|
5-May-20 |
Harding University |
Permanently laid off more than a dozen employees |
5-May-20 |
University of Alabama, Birmingham |
|
University of Alabama, Birmingham 4-May-20 |
Holy Family College |
Closed permanently in August 2020.
|
4-May-20 |
Portland State University |
Estimated to lose $13 million
|
1-May-20 |
Merrimack College |
|
1-May-20 |
Saginaw Valley State University |
|
28-Apr-20 |
Broward College |
|
28-Apr-20 |
Pennsylvania State |
Expected loss of $160 million
|
27-Apr-20 |
University of Colorado, Boulder |
Expected loss of $67 million
|
23-Apr-20 |
Siena College |
|
23-Apr-20 |
Urbana University |
Closing permanently |
22-Apr-20 |
University of Kentucky |
Estimated $70 million budget shortfall for 2021
|
21-Apr-20 |
Washington University in St. Louis |
|
20-Apr-20 |
University of Arizona |
|
17-Apr-20 |
Valparaiso University |
|
16-Apr-20 |
Drew University |
|
10-Apr-20 |
Union College |
|
7-Apr-20 |
Nebraska Christian College |
Closing permanently |
2-Apr-20 |
MacMurray College |
Closing permanently |
28-Mar-20 |
Concordia University |
Closing permanently |
24-Feb-20 |
2019-2020 BUDGET CUTS
SCHOOL |
CUTS |
SOURCE AND DATE |
University of Minnesota |
|
11-Dec-20 |
Marquette University |
Cut 225 faculty and staff positions by the end of June 2022 |
10-Dec-20 |
College of Saint Rose |
$5.97 million reduction in academic expenses
|
8-Dec-20 |
Central Michigan University |
|
1-Dec-20 |
Misericordia University |
|
10-Nov-20 |
Doane University |
$3.6 million in budget cuts
|
10-Nov-20 |
Guilford College |
$7 million in budget cuts to the 2021-2022 school year.
|
9-Nov-20 |
University of Delaware |
|
29-Oct-20 |
Ithaca College |
Cut its full-time faculty count by 130, from 547 total, by 2022. |
15-Oct-20 |
City University of New York |
|
15-Oct-20 |
Thomas Jefferson University |
|
13-Oct-20 |
Duke University |
|
8-Oct-20 |
University of Memphis |
|
7-Oct-20 |
Miami University |
|
6-Oct-20 |
Ball State University |
|
10/6/20 |
Pomona College |
Furloughed more than 260 non-faculty staff |
24-Sep-20 |
Western Michigan University |
Cut $76M in 2020-21
|
18-Sep-20 |
Marist College |
Laid off roughly 10 administrative assistants |
18-Sep-20 |
Adelphi University |
|
17-Sep-20 |
Scripps College |
Scripps was initially able to save $11 million through cuts and will save another $7.2 million through furloughs and other additional actions
|
15-Sep-20 |
Pomona College |
Temporary furlough for 264 non-faculty |
10-Sep-20 |
Smith College |
Estimated $10 million loss 230 employees furloughed for fall, 48 on partial and 182 on full senior admin pay cuts up to 20%, suspension of capital projects |
10-Sep-20 |
Carthage College |
|
4-Aug-20 |
Ashland University |
Eliminate 20 undergraduate degree over the next few years including French, Spanish, Geology, Physics, Economics and Theatre |
27-Jul-20 |
Canisius College |
|
20-Jul-20 |
University of Missouri |
|
17-Jul-20 |
University of Akron |
|
16-Jul-20 |
Carleton College |
|
10-Jul-20 |
Antioch College |
Cut $2.5 million, more than 20 %.
|
9-Jul-20 |
Boston University |
|
29-Jun-20 |
University of Michigan, Flint |
|
22-Jun-20 |
Wittenberg University |
Cut $2.5 million from academic program expenses.
|
22-Jun-20 |
University of Michigan |
Preparing for up to $1 billion in budget shortfall at 3 campuses
|
19-Jun-20 |
University of Iowa |
|
17-Jun-20 |
Fort Lewis College |
Cut $1.85 million from the general fund budget
|
15-Jun-20 |
Keuka College |
|
13-Jun-20 |
Elmira College |
|
5-Jun-20 |
Michigan State University |
|
2-Jun-20 |
Lewis-Clark State College |
|
2-Jun-20 |
Brown University |
Eliminated 11 varsity sports and promoted two others to varsity status |
1-Jun-20 |
Lafayette College |
|
29-May-20 |
Earlham College |
|
28-May-20 |
University of Miami |
|
22-May-20 |
Cleveland State University |
|
22-May-20 |
Ohio Wesleyan |
Cuts totaling $10 million annually
|
19-May-20 |
Ohio University |
|
15-May-20 |
Clark College |
$5.5 million in budget cuts
|
15-May-20 |
Kean University |
Estimated $20 million budget deficit
|
15-May-20 |
Missouri Western State University |
Cut 30% of the faculty
|
14-May-20 |
Kent State |
Decline in revenue of $110 million, aim to reduce budget by 20%
|
6-May-20 |
Western Michigan University |
Estimated loss of $85 million
|
6-May-20 |
Idaho State |
Estimated $16 million deficit
|
5-May-20 |
Harding University |
Permanently laid off more than a dozen employees |
5-May-20 |
University of Alabama, Birmingham |
|
University of Alabama, Birmingham 4-May-20 |
Holy Family College |
Closed permanently in August 2020.
|
4-May-20 |
Portland State University |
Estimated to lose $13 million
|
1-May-20 |
Merrimack College |
|
1-May-20 |
Saginaw Valley State University |
|
28-Apr-20 |
Broward College |
|
28-Apr-20 |
Pennsylvania State |
Expected loss of $160 million
|
27-Apr-20 |
University of Colorado, Boulder |
Expected loss of $67 million
|
23-Apr-20 |
Siena College |
|
23-Apr-20 |
Urbana University |
Closing permanently |
22-Apr-20 |
University of Kentucky |
Estimated $70 million budget shortfall for 2021
|
21-Apr-20 |
Washington University in St. Louis |
|
20-Apr-20 |
University of Arizona |
|
17-Apr-20 |
Valparaiso University |
|
16-Apr-20 |
Drew University |
|
10-Apr-20 |
Union College |
|
7-Apr-20 |
Nebraska Christian College |
Closing permanently |
2-Apr-20 |
MacMurray College |
Closing permanently |
28-Mar-20 |
Concordia University |
Closing permanently |
24-Feb-20 |