Dive Brief:
- Syracuse University will eliminate 93 academic programs identified as having low or no enrollment, the private New York institution announced Wednesday.
- But unlike many colleges making cuts, Syracuse is not doing so out of financial necessity, according to Lois Agnew, the university's provost and chief academic officer.
- The downsizing came from a desire to make the institution's offerings "more focused, more distinctive and more aligned with student demand,” Agnew said in a campus letter. No positions or departments have been slated for elimination, she said.
Dive Insight:
Just 258 students are enrolled across the 93 programs being cut, Agnew said. That represents 1.2% of the university’s roughly 22,000 students.
Of the 93 offerings, 41 are bachelor's degrees, 33 are certificate programs and 19 are graduate degrees. More than half, 55, had no one enrolled. Affected fields include statistics, architecture, electrical engineering, Middle Eastern studies, and languages such as French, German, Italian and Russian.
All currently enrolled students will be able to complete their degrees.
Syracuse cuts 41 bachelor's degrees and 33 certificate programs
List of Syracuse academic programs to be eliminated
Prior to the cuts, Syracuse offered about 460 degrees and certificates — "well above the peer average of roughly 200 programs at institutions of comparable size," Agnew said. Roughly a third of Syracuse's programs account for 80% of its enrollment.
Agnew said deans worked with faculty leaders to review their programs for quality, student demand and alignment with the university's mission.
"The decisions made through this process are not uniform in character," she said. "Some reflect programs that had already ceased producing graduates; others involve significant curricular redesign; some have merged with other programs to consolidate resources and enhance student experience; and some represent genuinely difficult choices about programs with dedicated faculty but small student communities."
Enrollment at Syracuse has largely held steady over the past five years. And the university has stayed strong financially, posting nine-figure budget surpluses since fiscal 2018. In fiscal 2025, its endowment was valued at $2.3 billion, according to data from the National Association of College and University Business Officers.
Wednesday's news came as Syracuse prepares for a leadership transition. Kent Syverud, the university's chancellor, is leaving to lead the University of Michigan, and his last day will be May 10. J. Michael Haynie, the university's vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, will assume the role the following day.
