Baldwin Wallace University announced that it is eliminating 23 positions and making program cuts in order to address a budget deficit.
University officials said that, for the past two years, they have operated with budget deficits. To address the problem, the university has come up with a new “cost-effective plan,” which was approved by the school’s board of trustees on Thursday, Jan. 25.
Small private colleges across the country as well as here in Northeast Ohio have seen financial and enrollment problems amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders at Cleveland State University, for example, recently talked with Notre Dame College about potentially “absorbing” the financially struggling school in South Euclid.
In a statement, Baldwin Wallace officials said they have “looked at every area of the university over the past few months to ensure that we are operating as cost-effectively as possible.”
“As a tuition-driven institution, it is imperative that we are operating efficiently so that every possible resource can be devoted directly to the student experience,” the statement continued.
The plan includes a hiring freeze, the completion of the early retirement incentive plan, faculty and staff reduction, and reduction in the number of academic programs.
Baldwin Wallace implementing a hiring freeze in September 2023, which will continue through December 2024. Officials noted that some essential positions will be replaced as needed.
Additionally, the university is laying off 23 full- and part-time staff and nontenured faculty positions.
The announcement also noted that the university is no longer admitting new students to 13 academic programs. Students who are currently enrolled in those programs will be able to continue in their major through their planned graduation date.
Programs affected include:
- International Studies and National Security programs will merge to form a new major for the fall 2024 semester
- French and German programs will no longer admit new students
- Religion and Philosophy programs will no longer admit new students and will merge to form a new concentration in the School of Humanities
- Business Information Systems, Enterprise Risk Analytics, Organizational Leadership, Business of Healthcare major and the Healthcare Management minor programs in the Carmel Boyer School of Business will no longer admit new students
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology will no longer admit new students
- School Leadership M.A.Ed. Graduate Program for superintendent licensure will no longer admit new students
A full video from Baldwin Wallace’s President Helmer can be watched below:
