Dive Brief:

• Falling student enrollment has forced budget cuts and a reorganization at Kentucky State University.
• Friday, the university’s Board of Regents approved a plan to start addressing the school’s $7 million operating budget deficit, with $950,000 in cuts in this fiscal year and $2.1 million in cuts next year.
• The plan cuts 18 non-teaching positions and up to 32 adjunct professor positions, and it suspends tenure and promotions in the current academic year, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

Dive Insight:

Kentucky State’s enrollment has dropped to 1,869 students, compared to 2,533 one year ago, leaving the school with more faculty members than it needs. The university’s annual budget is $53 million, plus $19 million in federal grants. University President Raymond Burse says he turned to staff cuts after his proposal to make across-the-board pay cuts and furloughs didn’t go over well with the employees. The athletics budget will be cut $167,000 this year and $333,000 next year. Kentucky State has 142 faculty members--60 percent of them are tenured—and 600 employees overall.