St. Cloud State University announces proposed cuts up to $9 million
ST. CLOUD, Minn. — One of the state's biggest universities plans to move ahead with major cuts to both faculty and programming.
In a letter to the St. Cloud State University campus community, Acting President Larry Lee announced proposed cuts that will slash up to $9 million by 2026.
"The higher education landscape is facing unprecedented struggles – student enrollment declines, affordability concerns, a proliferation of higher education alternatives, public perception of college degrees, and financial strains…among others," Lee wrote in the letter sent Monday night. "These decisions are painful; yet they are necessary for SCSU to continue to fulfill its mission."
In an interview with WCCO, Lee further outlined the proposals and explained they include slashing roughly 13% of both administrative and faculty positions; the proposed cuts will also lower the number of areas of major and minor study from 136 to 90.
Despite the large number of programs ending, however, Lee maintained 91% of students are enrolled in the 90 remaining fields.
"Any impact is meaningful, but in the overall sense of it, it is a small impact," Lee told WCCO. "But it does allow us to better align our resources with the programs that students have exhibited and have interest in. That allows us to provide an even better experience moving forward."
Lee said he ultimately will make the final decision on how to move forward with the proposals — but only after he consults with faculty and staff. He hopes to make those decisions by the end of June.
His letter comes just days after becoming Acting President and succeeding Robbin Wacker, who will remain in a ceremonial role until the end of July.
Lee's position will also be temporary, however, with Interim President Designate Larry Dietz coming on board later this summer.
Among the state system's 33 colleges and universities, Bemidji State is the only other institution operating in the red.
According to a spokeswoman, Bemidji State has worked to close its shortfall thanks to increasing enrollment and student retention numbers, and those are in large part to the North Star Promise Scholarship and the American Indian Scholars Program; the school has also seen increases in fundraising while also working with faculty directly on tightening budgets.
At St. Cloud State, Wacker told students and faculty in 2023 that the university faced tough decisions ahead, and proposed a series of cuts to faculty and programming. They included closing the School of Public Affairs, as well as dropping dozens of areas of study.
