In a significant shift to prioritize high-demand fields, Jacksonville University (JU) is retracting the list of its traditional majors and laying off nearly 40 faculty members. JU President Tim Cost explained that these changes are part of an effort to align with market demands and prepare for a national decline in college enrollments; he assured that existing students in the discontinued programs will have the opportunity to complete their degrees despite new enrollments being halted, First Coast News reports.
According to News4Jax, JU's restructuring plan, set to save $10 million, entails a 10% reduction in controllable expenses across all operations by Fall 2025, this ambitious plan is seeking to reimagine the university's financial model to create long-term sustainability by aligning its academic offerings with student interests and real-world opportunities, explained JU's Chief Financial Officer Kim Banks. The university now plans to focus on 37 undergraduate majors and about 15 graduate programs that cater to the vast majority of their student body's needs and market relevance.
These academic changes coincide with the foundation of the Linda Berry Stein College of Arts and Sciences, combining various disciplines from two former colleges within the institution, as stated by News4Jax. The new college will house around 1,000 students and offer 15 fields of study across fine arts, humanities, social sciences, education, and mathematics; the university's Law College and the upcoming medical school partnership with LECOM due to open in 2026 are among the programs remaining untouched by the cutbacks.
While efforts are made to minimize the impact on current students, with a dedicated Care Team in place to craft personalized academic plans, around 100 of JU's 4,200 students are affected, as highlighted in reporting by The Florida Times-Union.
