Latest news with #CommissionForHigherEducation
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
IU to lose 222 degree programs following tightened statewide requirements
Indiana University will see a net loss of 222 degree programs across all its campuses following requirements added in an eleventh-hour provision to the state's budget. It's one of many universities around the state losing programs. To meet the state-imposed requirements, public universities across the state eliminated nearly 20% of their programs. Technically, IU is going to cut 249 total programs, but a university spokesperson said that degree mergers and consolidation will end in a net loss of 222 across all campuses. IU Bloomington will see 116 degrees cut, "taught out" or consolidated. About 55% of those programs will be merged or consolidated, and about 45% will be directly eliminated or taught out until elimination. A program being "taught out," means students currently pursuing a degree in those subjects will be allowed to complete their program. For automatic approval from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, degrees must maintain an average over three years of: 10 graduates for an associate's degree program 15 graduates for a bachelor's degree program Seven graduates for a master's degree program Three graduates for a doctorate degree program Otherwise, universities must request approval from the commission to keep low-enrollment degree programs. The low enrollment programs currently set for elimination, consolidation or to be taught out will still exist in the 2025-26 academic year. Final decisions on them won't take effect until the 2026-27 academic year. The programs currently on the Commission for Higher Education's list are recommendations from IU. The commission will review and finalize decisions based on those recommendations on July 24, according to an IU Today article. Gov. Mike Braun appoints 3 more trustees to Indiana University's board Degree programs with students enrolled aren't set to be eliminated off the bat — meaning the 22 programs eliminated at IUB don't have any students in them. Many of the eliminated or consolidated programs at IUB are in language studies, education and the sciences. View a full list here. For Catherine Pilachowski, the chair of IU's Department of Astronomy, the changes were workable. The astrophysics Ph.D., shared between them and the Department of Physics, is set to be taught out toward its elimination. The program will likely be consolidated into different degrees at both schools, with an astrophysics track available, Pilachowski said. For her department, that means an astronomy Ph.D. with a track for those wishing to focus on astrophysics. The department gets an average of four enrollments split between astronomy and astrophysics each year, Pilachowski said. But consolidation could hurt admissions for people looking to specifically study astrophysics, she said, meaning they have to work on communicating that expertise in the field is still available. Pilachowski wanted to emphasize that she thinks the College of Arts + Sciences did a good job communicating, listening and working to provide the best options for students. The teach out period for lengthy Ph.D. programs can take a while, Pilachowski said. So, the astrophysics Ph.D. may remain for some time. Contact Andrew Miller at AMiller@ This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: IU set to lose over 220 degree programs
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
IU to lose 222 degree programs following tightened statewide requirements
Indiana University will see a net loss of 222 degree programs across all its campuses following requirements added in an eleventh hour provision to the state's budget. It's one of many universities around the state losing programs. To meet the state-imposed requirements, public universities across the state eliminated nearly 20% of their programs. Technically, IU is going to cut 249 total programs, but a university spokesperson said that degree mergers and consolidation will end in a net loss of 222 across all campuses. IU Bloomington will see 116 degrees cut, "taught out" or consolidated. About 55% of those programs will be merged or consolidated, and about 45% will be directly eliminated or taught out until elimination. A program being "taught out," means students currently pursuing a degree in those subjects will be allowed to complete their program. For automatic approval from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, degrees must maintain an average over three years of: 10 graduates for an associate's degree program 15 graduates for a bachelor's degree program Seven graduates for a master's degree program Three graduates for a doctorate degree program Otherwise, universities must request approval from the commission to keep low-enrollment degree programs. The low enrollment programs currently set for elimination, consolidation or to be taught out will still exist in the 2025-26 academic year. Final decisions on them won't take effect until the 2026-27 academic year. The programs currently on the Commission for Higher Education's list are recommendations from IU. The commission will review and finalize decisions based on those recommendations on July 24, according to an IU Today article. Degree programs with students enrolled aren't set to be eliminated off the bat — meaning the 22 programs eliminated at IUB don't have any students in them. Many of the eliminated or consolidated programs at IUB are in language studies, education and the sciences. View a full list here. For Catherine Pilachowski, the chair of IU's Department of Astronomy, the changes were workable. The astrophysics Ph.D., shared between them and the Department of Physics, is set to be taught out toward its elimination. The program will likely be consolidated into different degrees at both schools, with an astrophysics track available, Pilachowski said. For her department, that means an astronomy Ph.D. with a track for those wishing to focus on astrophysics. The department gets an average of four enrollments split between astronomy and astrophysics each year, Pilachowski said. But consolidation could hurt admissions for people looking to specifically study astrophysics, she said, meaning they have to work on communicating that expertise in the field is still available. Pilachowski wanted to emphasize that she thinks the College of Arts + Sciences did a good job communicating, listening and working to provide the best options for students. The teach out period for lengthy Ph.D. programs can take a while, Pilachowski said. So, the astrophysics Ph.D. may remain for some time. Contact Andrew Miller at AMiller@ This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: IU set to lose over 220 degree programs
Forbes
24-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Indiana's Public Colleges & Universities Freeze Tuition For Two Years
All of Indiana's public higher education institutions, including Purdue University, have agreed to ... More a two-year tuition freeze for resident undergraduates. . At the request of Governor Mike Braun, all 15 of Indiana's public colleges and universities have committed to freezing their tuition and mandatory fees for in-state undergraduate students for the next two academic years. The decision came in response to the Governor's request and a unanimous recommendation by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education in May that resident tuition and mandatory fees be held flat at the state's public higher education institutions for academic years 2025-26 and 2026-27. The Commission is charged in state law to recommend tuition rates for the state's colleges every two years. An institution wanting to charge more than the recommended amount must present a formal justification to the State Budget Committee. 'A month ago, we challenged our state's public higher education institutions to find efficiencies, eliminate redundancies and identify ways to streamline services without compromising quality,' said Braun in a news release from his office. 'The commitment made by all of Indiana's public colleges and universities puts students and parents first and demonstrates to the rest of the country that Indiana is a leader in providing a high quality education at an affordable price.' According to the Governor's office, this is the first time since at least 2010 that more than two of the state's public colleges and universities have simultaneously held tuition flat, and it's the first time ever that all of the institutions have agreed to do so. 'While the Commission, along with our institutions and other partners, have leveraged policies, programs, and partnerships to keep our colleges and universities affordable, we all recognize the economic challenges our fellow Hoosiers have faced over the past several years,' said Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Chris Lowery, according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle. 'In the spirit of seeking to maintain Indiana's national leadership in affordability, the Commission is in full support of Gov. Braun's recommendation for a 0% tuition increase.' The following campuses have committed to the tuition freeze: Samantha Fleischaker, the student representative and a student at the University of Southern Indiana, praised the tuition decision. 'Keeping tuition flat keeps the door open for students of all backgrounds, all ZIP codes, and all walks of life, ' she said. 'It sends the message that education is not just for one demographic - it's for all people. It's not just a number. It's the difference between opportunity and what feels impossible.' Institutions will still be able to raise their rates for room and board, and some may also decide to hike the tuition charged for nonresidents as well as international students The institutions have committed to the tuition freeze despite facing a lean year in terms of state appropriations. Indiana's budget bill for the upcoming year includes a 5% cut in the state appropriation for higher education, but Braun has insisted that the institutions were in a good financial position that would allow them to weather both the tuition freeze and the appropriation cut.
