As universities across the system are preparing to lose millions in state funding, N.C. State University has a new plan in place to help salvage its financial future.
The plan will eliminate or consolidate academic departments, programs and faculty positions to help the university deal with upcoming budget cuts.
University administrators say recommendations, which include a look at 29 undergraduate programs, will help the university financially in the long run.
“We are not looking at what will be saved in the coming year,” said Charles Leffler, vice chancellor for finance and business for NCSU. “We probably won’t see the benefit till the following year.”
The plan includes a list of undergraduate, doctoral and master’s programs in 10 colleges that will be reviewed to be reduced, consolidated or eliminated.
Courses that have low enrollment will also be evaluated to see if they will be continued. This is part of a system-wide effort to identify unnecessary duplication among universities’ programs.
NCSU Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Warwick Arden said the university wanted to talk to faculty before eliminating courses.
“We understand there are reasons for low enrollment,” he said. “We really need to have a discussion with faculty.”
Arden did not have a number of how many jobs might be lost once the plan is implemented, but he said there would be layoffs.