The University of South Florida’s Academic and Campus Environment committee voted on Feb. 17, 2026 to cut four degree programs over the next two years, while clearing the way for new bachelor’s degrees in architecture and fintech. The full Board of Trustees was set to weigh the recommendation at its March 10, 2026 meeting.
If trustees sign off, the committee recommended ending the bachelor’s program in aging sciences and the master’s program in STEM education this fall, then phasing out master’s programs in mathematics education and social science education by fall 2027. Current students would finish under teach‑out plans, according to The Crow's Nest. Bill Black, associate dean of graduate studies in USF’s College of Education, told the outlet, "In order to implement the new major, we needed to terminate the old majors." The committee also recommended suspending the Ph.D. in social work starting in fall 2026 for internal program improvements; the School of Social Work’s program page currently lists the Ph.D. as paused.
Productivity Review Pushed The Changes
The restructuring traces back to a university productivity audit that flagged roughly three dozen programs for closer scrutiny. USF’s internal analysis identified about 36 programs for review, according to reporting by The Oracle. Campus reviews are tied to State University System benchmarks: the Board of Governors uses three‑year degree thresholds of 30 bachelor’s, 20 master’s and 10 doctoral degrees to identify programs that need extra attention, according to its committee memo.
Architecture And Fintech Proposals Move Ahead
The committee backed a College of Design, Art and Performance plan for a traditional four‑year bachelor’s in architecture that would replace the school’s long‑standing two‑plus‑four pathway, as well as a Muma College of Business proposal for a bachelor’s in fintech that would extend USF’s recently launched MS in Fintech. Ron Dulaney, director of the School of Architecture and Community Design, told the committee the new undergraduate pathway is expected to shorten time to degree and cut costs compared with the older model. The fintech pitch leaned on local industry demand and USF’s FinTech|X partnerships, as outlined in program materials from the Muma College of Business and in the committee presentation.
Students And Faculty Protections
USF officials told trustees the goal is to protect current students by relying on teach‑out plans and curriculum absorption, rather than sudden shutdowns that could strand degree seekers. The university has stressed that any program suspensions or terminations will move through its established process, including faculty governance review, Board of Trustees action, Board of Governors oversight and accreditor notification, to minimize disruption, according to The Oracle.
Part Of A Broader Florida Trend
USF’s reshuffling lands in the middle of a statewide effort to trim or overhaul programs that fall short of updated productivity rules or do not closely track workforce needs. Higher education reporters note that multiple Florida public universities are revising, suspending or terminating offerings that fail to meet system productivity thresholds, a pattern tracked by outlets such as Higher Ed Dive.
What’s Next
The ACE committee’s recommendation moved to the full Board of Trustees at its March 10 meeting. If trustees approve the cuts and new programs, the changes will proceed through required notification steps, formal teach‑out plans and, where applicable, to the Board of Governors for final oversight. USF posts agendas and archived meeting materials for the Board of Trustees and its committees online for public review.
