ADA — Ohio Northern University is eliminating 48 jobs and phasing out or re-aligning 21 major and minor degree programs with low enrollment, triggering a no-confidence vote against the university’s dean of arts and sciences.
Incoming students will no longer be able to major in subjects such as religion, physics, public health, youth ministry, forensic accounting or Spanish starting this fall, though general education courses and minors for some programs will continue.
Students currently enrolled in the affected programs will be able to complete their degrees.
University officials started reviewing its programs when projections revealed the school would be short $7 million by 2025.
“We cannot count on significant enrollment growth nor should we rely solely on tuition increases to balance our budget,” President Melissa Baumann said in a news release confirming the cuts. “At its simplest, we need to make sure the size of the university aligns with our current and future enrollment.
“To do that, we need to make some reductions in the number of faculty and staff, and so we are phasing out or re-aligning a number of our low-enrolled programs.”
The review, which included input from faculty, deans and the provost, considered enrollment projections and trends in higher education to determine which programs were most viable, according to a news release confirming the changes.
Only 1.5% of current students are enrolled in the affected majors, while 1.3% of students are enrolled in minors set to be phased out.
Baumann notified faculty of the upcoming changes via email on May 4, though affected faculty were informed in March.
Days later, faculty took a vote of no confidence in Arts & Sciences Dean Stacey Lowery Bretz, who oversees the college where most program reductions occurred.
The resolution narrowly passed by a vote of 40 to 38, with nine abstentions. Two-thirds of eligible faculty members were present for the May 7 vote.
A spokesman said the provost will not take any personnel action against Bretz based on the resolution. Bretz “continues to have the full faith and confidence of Ohio Northern University in both her abilities and her leadership of the College of Arts & Sciences,” Dave Kielmeyer, the executive director of the office of communications and marketing, told The Lima News via email.
Most of the 48 jobs eliminated were achieved through resignations, retirement or attrition, with 15 faculty positions and 13 staff positions unoccupied when the changes took effect, Kielmeyer wrote.
Meanwhile, ONU is also considering demolition of the historic Hill Memorial Hall.
A facilities review conducted by Columbus-based architectural firm BHDP found “grave problems” with the hall’s foundation, exterior and interior, which the firm estimated would cost at least $9 million to repair, according to a news release.
The university plans to close the building July 31, though maintenance will continue until officials decide what to do with the building.
No changes will be made to the building for at least two years, according to the release.
ONU recently launched an online juris doctor program to train lawyers. Plans are underway for a new health and wellness center too, and Baumann said in the release that the university will invest in salary increases and financial aid to “close the affordability gap” and fuel enrollment.
ONU is not the only private Christian college experiencing setbacks.
Bluffton University and the University of Findlay announced their intent to merge, though the process likely won’t be finalized until next summer as the schools await approval from accrediting agencies.
Officials at both universities cited enrollment trends for their decision.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to our students and continuing our contributions to the workforce, and we have a strong strategic plan in place to guide us,” Baumann said in the release. “To be successful for the next century and a half, we must be nimble, resourceful and willing to adapt. While these are difficult steps, we will be better positioned for the future.”
WHAT ONU DEGREES ARE AFFECTED
• Phasing out majors and minors in religion; physics, including astronomy; and Spanish, including the education licensure and the Spanish for healthcare professionals minor. Required fundamental and general education coursework in physics and religion will continue.
• Phasing out the majors, though keeping the minors in data analytics, philosophy, public health and sociology.
• Phasing out the majors in forensic accounting and auditing services (MSA degree); writing and multimedia studies; and youth ministry.
• Phasing out the minors of digital composition in journalism; geography; history; international studies; teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL and TESOL with education licensure); and writing in business, science, and technical fields.
• Combining the majors of studio arts (BA) and graphic design (BA and BFA) into one major, art and design (BA). Likewise, combine the minors of art and graphic design into one minor, art and design.
• Renaming the literature major and minor to an English major and minor, and the language arts education major to an English education major.
