Mainly citing increasing operating costs, complicated by enrollment challenges, numerous institutions recently announced or finalized plans to cut academic programs or jobs. The financial squeeze being felt across the U.S. is especially palpable in the Midwest; three public institutions from Ohio are seeking to enact changes for fiscal sustainability. The University of Toledo is suspending or merging 48 academic programs due to low demand. “This prioritization process to reduce our degree program offerings is a strategic way for UToledo to respond to this challenging time in higher education as colleges contend with a declining population of high school graduates entering college, difficulties retaining current students and rising financial costs of operations,” the university website said. Undergraduate foreign language and graduate education programs are among the hardest hit.
