Terre Haute, Ind. (WAWV/WTWO) — Indiana State University Board of Trustees met Thursday afternoon for their academic affairs and enrollment management work session.
ISU recently reported that they had $12 million to cut from the budget. During the session, means for cutting the budget were discussed.
The plan is to eliminate three dean positions and seven associate deans. Some of those administration positions come from current employees choosing to retire.
Additionally, there are program suspensions and some staff positions have been eliminated. Dr. Christopher Olsen, provost/ VP of Academic Affairs, said that number is in the single digits.
“Four-year universities, traditional universities, can adapt their programs to very rapidly changing economies and workforce needs. And that’s really a lot of what we’re trying to do. Right,” Olsen said. “So, while we sunset some programs, and some of them that have been around for quite a while, we look toward the future.”
Program suspensions and faculty eliminations come from enrollment numbers as well as recommendations from faculty.
These measures will result in $2.3 million in cuts.
Nationally, college enrollment rates have declined. Historically, the number of students choosing to go to college, go up and down. That number typically mirrors the economy.
The college go rate declined again this year and while it’s leveling off in many states, the state of Indiana continues to decline.
ISU’s academic affairs reorganization goals include better serving students by eliminating overlapping bureaucracy as well as budget efficiency and reductions.
To better serve students, ISU plans to extend their project success model to all undergraduate students. Through a centralized advising model, each student would have a four-year professional advisor as well as faculty advisors and mentors. ISU says this plan is about extending the success they are seeing in ‘project success’ to all undergraduate students.
The ISU Board of Trustees meet Friday morning to see the first draft of the 2023 budget. We will have a reporter at that meeting.
