Delaware State Cutting 23 Degree-granting Programs

Delaware State University, the sole historically Black public college in Delaware, is “deactivating” 23 degree granting programs it identified as low enrollment, the university confirmed Monday.

The decision to eliminate 12 undergraduate and 11 master’s degree programs, programs, equal to roughly 25 percent of the total degree programs now offered, stems for a nearly three year evaluation of the institution’s portfolio by a university task force. Consistently low enrollment in the programs being “deactivated” was cited as a top reason for cutting them.

“It’s not something done under duress and we weren’t forced to do it,” said Delaware State spokesman Carlos Holmes. He said the decision, disclosed this week by university officials, is based on the work of the institution’s Program Priority Initiative (PPI). The PPI study began more than two years ago. Its recommendations, presented by the university provost, were voted on earlier this year by the university’s board of trustees, he said.

The decision is expected to save the university nearly $900,000 a year by 2020, Holmes said and is not expected to result in any cut in faculty or staff, Holmes said.

Certain degree programs in Spanish, French and English are among those being cut, according to the university. Holmes said a number of courses in those areas of study, like many others affected by the “deactivation” decision, will still be offered as part of other degree programs.

University official are expected to have more specific details in the days to come.

Holmes stressed the university was specifically “deactivating” the designated programs not eliminating them from the university’s portfolio. That gives it flexibility, particularly in the accreditation area, in the event a decision is made in the future to reactivate a degree program.