All public universities in Utah have to reallocate 10% of their state-funded instructional budget following changes approved by the state legislature this year. Compounded with a 1.5% across the board cut from last year and big curriculum changes, some Utah State faculty fear this could deter future students.
At USU’s biannual University Forum for faculty and staff on March 20, Interim President Alan Smith did not shy away from addressing the elephant in the room. He said the university is in a time of transition and disruption, which he called “not necessarily any fault of our own.”
USU must now make tough choices to reallocate $12.6 million in its budget, by cutting certain programs and giving more money to others. On top of that, lawmakers cut $4.8 million from USU’s budget in 2024. That reduction takes effect July 1. In response, USU has started a voluntary buyout program, offering employees different incentives based on how close they are to retirement age and how long they’ve been at the school.
But unlike its peers, Utah State has also been tasked by lawmakers to overhaul its general education program. And the school has to find a new president after Elizabeth “Betsy” Cantwell announced in February she would be stepping down after less than two years in the position.
Smith told faculty and staff that school leaders are responding with a strategic approach, rather than reactively, so that USU can thrive in the coming years.
“There's going to be some short term, unfortunately, challenges and pain associated with that,” he said.
During the question and answer portion of the forum, two faculty members expressed concerns about losing future students. An unnamed faculty member who submitted a question online said they recruit students for a specific program and “I have strong prospective students citing the impact of budget cuts as a reason to choose another university, saying that the impact will be lesser on competitors such as Weber State. How should I respond?”
The funding cuts approved by lawmakers are proportional to each college, with the exact amount differing based on the institution’s budget size.
“I'm not sure I would know exactly what best to say today, because there is some uncertainty, right?” Smith responded. “But, again, we're going through this process that, frankly, is coming at us awfully fast.”
Smith added that colleges are directed in the budget reallocation plans to think about their individual missions and the role the school plays in the state’s higher education system. As USU works on its plan, Smith said they’ll be thinking about their strengths. He promised open communication with staff and students through this process.
Librarian Sandra Weingart was concerned about overhauling the school’s general education program. She said a college enrollment cliff is projected nationwide, and colleges will be competing for fewer students. While enrollment grew significantly across the state last fall, the state’s college-aged population is projected to start decreasing in 2032, according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. The report says that will likely impact enrollment.
“If we want to be a world class university and recruit students and faculty from everywhere and prepare Utah students to compete on a world stage, how do we go beyond what is printed in that bill?” Weingart asked.
Republican Sen. John Johnson’s bill, SB334, establishes the new Center for Civic Excellence at USU to create the new general education requirements. The 30-credit curriculum needs to include three, 3-credit humanities classes that Johnson calls “great books” classes, rooted in texts predominantly from Western civilization.
The bill also stipulates the foundational primary texts in the general education curriculum should represent “the best of what has been thought and said.”
Weingart said equating the “best” with Western culture is “not going to resonate in Asia, in Africa, in South America. What do we do about that?”
Smith said those classes only represent nine out of the 30 general education credits. He added that USU has a competitive advantage in how affordable it is. The school, Smith said, will use the budget reallocation process to make sure its programs are “future-focused, that are in industries that students are seeking to gain entry into, and where there are workforce needs in the state.”
In response to another question about the general education changes, Smith said he was optimistic about the pilot program. Due to USU’s involvement in shaping the bill, Smith said the college ended up with more autonomy than it would have otherwise and has flexibility with the curriculum.
“Give it a chance,” he said. “The faculty are going to be driving this, as always.”
