- Weber State University announces plans to dissolve dozens of jobs and educational programs.
- Campus disruptions happening as school seeks compliance with House Bill 265, which calls for strategic reinvestment planning.
- WSU and Utah’s other degree-granting public colleges and universities will soon present their respective strategic reinvestment plans to state higher education leaders, lawmakers.
House Bill 265 — the controversial “strategic reinvestment” legislation requiring Utah’s public colleges and universities to reallocate millions of budget dollars — is exacting a heavy toll at Weber State University.
Forty-nine WSU employees and 89 courses are being eliminated to comply with the charge to reallocate approximately $6.6 million, as directed by HB265.
The strategic reinvestment bill, which was passed during the recent legislative session, is designed to funnel state higher education funds into programs determined to be of highest value.
In the coming weeks and months, WSU and the seven other Utah degree-granting public colleges and universities will present their respective strategic reinvestment plans to the Utah Board of Higher Education and lawmakers. If their recommended reallocations are approved, they can reclaim the 10% of their annual budget that was cut by the Legislature.
All of the schools’ plans are preliminary and must be approved by the UBHE and lawmakers.
“Weber State’s approach to HB265 has been student-focused, data-driven, and collaborative,” said university spokesperson Bryan Magaña.
“Although the process is challenging, our ultimate goal is to position the university to serve our growing student body and to meet Utah’s community and workforce needs well into the future.”
WSU staffing, program cuts
The WSU job reductions will include several positions in the school’s provost’s office, administrative positions in the Student Access and Success division, the Dean of the Moyes College of Education and several associate dean and faculty positions.
Meanwhile, several educational programs currently offered at the Ogden-based university are expected to be eliminated from a variety of disciplines — including majors in applied physics, art education, geography, German, computer science teaching and electronic engineering technology.
Minors to be cut include ethnic studies, public administration, queer studies, Spanish for the professions and women & gender studies.
Several other majors and departments will be consolidated.
In an email this week to students, WSU President Brad Mortensen summarized the program changes prompted by HB265.
He assured students that if they are currently in one of the programs being eliminated they will be able to finish their degree in their established course of study.
“The ability to complete your degree or get a job in these fields will not be impacted, as the work and research being done in these areas are still important,” wrote Mortensen. “These programs will no longer accept new students, but current students can still complete their degrees.
“You can continue to take courses in these areas, and as teach-out plans are developed, your advisors will work with you to help complete degree programs.”
Mortensen added that students need not fear being “left behind”.
“We’re here to make sure you cross the finish line and are successful here at Weber, and we remain committed to giving you an outstanding college experience,” he wrote.
WSU reallocation priorities
At a “Town Hall” gathering this week for WSU faculty and staff, the school’s reallocation priorities were outlined.
Besides the job and program cuts, reallocation highlights include proposed funding to support interdisciplinary collaborations in academic programs that align with workforce and societal needs. Also, development of sub-120 hour degree programs and new credentials or program expansion that align with Talent Ready Utah Occupational Priority List.
Also, WSU plans to bring on new faculty and added capacity for high-yield academic programs.
List of WSU programs being eliminated, combined or restructured
Majors:
- Applied environmental geosciences
- Applied physics (BS)
- Art education (BA)
- Computer science teaching
- Construction management (BS) — Facilities Emphasis only
- Electronic engineering technology
- English — professional & technical writing emphasis only
- French for the professions (BA)
- French translation in business and industry
- Geography (BA) — BS will still be offered
- German (BA)
- German for the professions (BA)
- Mathematics (to be combined with applied mathematics)
- MSRT (respiratory therapy master’s)
- Physical education (non-teaching)
- Physical science (AAS)
- Workplace communication & writing (AA/AS)
Certificates:
- Biotechnician
- Ethics
- Facilities management
- Forensic science fundamentals
- Field botany
- Jazz studies
- Music entrepreneurship
Minors:
- Ethnic studies
- French for the professions
- German for the professions
- Linguistics
- Public administration
- Queer studies
- Spanish for the professions
- Women & gender studies
To reduce overlap and create stronger academic pathways, some programs are being combined into new or existing departments or degrees, according to WSU:
- Dance and theatre will merge into one program
- Music will reduce its emphases to focus on pedagogy and performance
- Economics will consolidate its six majors into four
- Geography will go from seven tracks to four
- Anthropology, geography, and sociology will become one department
- Elementary and special education will become one unified program
- Manufacturing systems engineering will shift into mechanical or manufacturing engineering
- Reduce the number of emphases in communication
Teaching majors are also being restructured into broader categories to simplify licensing and support collaboration across content areas:
- A new secondary science education major will include biology, chemistry, physics, physical science, and earth science
- A revised social science education major will add history, political science, psychology, sociology, and geography
- A new world languages education major will include Spanish, French and German