Students, staff protest cuts to degree programs at SIUE; other local colleges make cuts
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (First Alert 4) - In response to a budget shortfall of more than $10 million, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) is proposing cost-saving measures, including phasing out certain degree programs and employees.
Dr. Tim Foster, a physics professor at SIUE for more than two decades, expressed concern over proposed cuts to the physics department.
“I was of course angry,” Foster said. “Physics is personal to me. I’ve been doing it a long time.”
While the physics major and minor would be phased out, some physics courses will continue to be offered to other science and engineering majors, but the proposal includes reducing physics faculty positions by half.
Foster emphasized the field’s relevance in everyday life.
“Things like MRI machines, X-rays, CT scans, all based on physics,” he said.
The physics program has seen declining enrollment in recent years, according to university leaders - a trend seen at the national level, as well, according to the American Institute of Physics.
Saint Louis University (SLU) is also managing a budget deficit, having recently slashed its meteorology program.
Washington University (Wash U) recently announced a nearly 6% increase to tuition, citing a cap on federal government funding for the hike.
The University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) recently discontinued several sports programs for financial reasons, as well.
At SIUE, students voiced concerns about the proposed cuts earlier this month, holding a demonstration asking for more transparency from SIUE leadership regarding the potential cuts.
State officials estimate that potential reductions in federal funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) could result in a loss of approximately $4.5 million across SIU’s three campuses, including Edwardsville.
In a statement, SIUE s said they are evaluating their academic programs as part of a broader effort to align resources with enrollment trends and workforce needs. The university is also developing a strategic enrollment management plan to address projected declines in high school graduates in Illinois and Missouri.
“While difficult, these changes will allow SIUE to modernize operations and align our budget in service to our goals of growing enrollment, delivering excellent academic programs, ing a community of innovative faculty, staff, and students, while serving our communities and the region,” a SIUE spokesperson said. “SIUE remains committed to advancing our mission to deliver an accessible, high-quality education for students and families, and these actions are important to a resilient and sustainable future.”
University officials stated that all currently enrolled physics students will have the opportunity to complete their degrees.
The decision is still under review. No cuts have been made at this time.
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