JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville University leaders say their new “Future Focused” strategic plan will eliminate and consolidate some degree programs.
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“Some consistently undersubscribed and specialized fields of study will no longer be offered as majors to new, incoming students, and some programs will be sunsetted,” the university said.
The change also comes with the layoff of 40 faculty members.
Students were notified in a Monday press release that nearly 100 of the university’s more than 4,200 students would be directly impacted by the change, but university president Tim Cost assured students that they would still have a pathway to graduation.
While the original press release didn’t specify the list of programs that were being eliminated, Action News Jax obtained a separate email detailing the 22 colleges on the chopping block for the university.
Of the more than 20 colleges, 7 colleges won’t be returning in the fall.
That’s drawing a particularly large reaction from current and former music students online.
Facebook user ‘Emily Mikus Music’ shared, ‘Please pray for the JU music faculty and staff, music students, and for this campus. Absolutely devastated at the announcement of shutting down all music (and more) at JU in the fall.’
Megan Young shared, ‘So incredibly disappointed in Jacksonville University. The arts are important. As (a) graduate of the Fine Arts college, I am very disgusted it this news #phisdown.’
Comments on the Facebook post have since been limited.
The news comes just four months after Action News Jax told you the university sent this email to their faculty in response to questions about financial challenges.
In our previous reporting, the university acknowledged navigating rising costs and shifts in enrollment trends.
When we asked President Cost if the downsizing efforts have anything to do financial woes, he told us, “Every smart university, every smart corporation in this era ought to be refreshing its strategic plan. That’s what we’re doing. We’re separating about 40 of our 625 employees, and we’re impacting well less than 100 students.”
The president shared that the university is offering severance packages to all 40 faculty members and 18 full-ride scholarships to some of the students affected by the elimination of their degree program.
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