UNT Cuts 70 Programs, Offers Buyouts Amid Budget Crisis

0:00It's March 23rd. Welcome to El Paso News today, powered by AI. The University of North Texas is slashing or merging more than 70 academic programs, minors and certificates to tackle a projected 45. Million dollar budget shortfall, leaders blame a big drop in international students who pay higher tuition along with cuts in state funding. This marks the first major steps in their plan after warnings last month about possible consolidations, faculty buyouts, and heavier teaching loads. Among the changes, they're phasing out all linguistics degrees and folding that department into world languages, literatures, and culture starting. September 1st. They're also dropping a bachelors in Latino and Latin American studies, a masters in women's and gender studies, plus 25 undergrad minors. Like LGBTQ studies, Africana studies, and Asian studies, and over 40 certificates. Faculty and students got the news suddenly, with some feeling blindsided and disrespected by

1:02the lack of input. A linguistics major planning grad school there, now worries about her future in forensic linguistics, and questions tying education to quick job. Payoffs. Enrolled students can still finish their degrees, but no new admissions. This comes amidst state mandated reviews of programs, possibly tied to rules emphasizing two sexes, though UNT didn't specify. Other Texas schools like Texas A&M and UT Austin have made similar cuts to gender and race studies, officials cite low enrollment, 15 or fewer per master's program, and high costs as reasons. To adapt, UNT is offering buyouts to veteran faculty through April 10th and shifting over 40 courses online this fall for more efficient. Lecturing. They're focusing on degrees that lead to real job opportunities for their nearly 47,000 students across Texas and beyond.