Kansas State reports program consolidations and targeted investments after enrollment decline and partial recovery

Kansas State on Wednesday presented a campus‑level academic program‑review update to the Kansas Board of Regents’ FAST Committee, reporting a multiyear overhaul of review processes, two program closures enacted by university governance, and strategic investments to improve market alignment and student career outcomes.

K‑State’s presentation matters because the university conducted an institutionwide review while recovering from a recent enrollment decline, and officials described concrete steps — including program phase‑outs, mergers and targeted funding — intended to align offerings to workforce demand and the institution’s strategic enrollment goals.

The provost’s office told the committee that K‑State reviewed more than 250 undergraduate and about 65 graduate programs, excluding micro‑credentials which follow a separate process. The university said it performed in‑depth reviews in 2024 and 2025 and is now refining how frequently programs undergo full evaluation: moving from an annually exhaustive review that strained faculty toward a model with routine annual reporting on key metrics and a four‑year in‑depth cycle.

Dr. Morris Schroeder, who the provost described as the university recruit from the University of Kentucky and leader of the Office of Academic Affairs and Innovation, summarized what the institution found and plans to do. K‑State used a program categorization that included “growing,” “sustaining,” and “monitoring” groups. Officials reported 60 programs identified for growth, about 60–70 sustaining programs, roughly 40 being monitored, and two programs that the university senate closed this year: ethnic studies and women’s studies. The closures were processed through shared governance, and the campus consolidated offerings into a new department of Social Transformation Studies and launched a bachelor’s degree in that field.

K‑State said it has used internal strategic investment funds to seed new or revitalized programs after market analysis and consultation with industry partners. Examples cited included expanded internships (paid internships in one case grew from seven to 17), a 4+1 accelerated MBA tied to an undergraduate program that enrolled 17 students at launch, and new career‑oriented certificates aimed at improving graduates’ starting salaries.

On transfer and articulation, K‑State presented a new community‑college reporting tool that breaks transfers down by dual‑credit, small transfer credit amounts (<12 hours), larger transfer credit blocks (>12 hours) and completed associate degrees. The campus said those reports allow it to compare transfer students’ performance in subsequent courses, identify courses where transfers underperform and work directly with community colleges to improve alignment.

The university also reviewed “hours per year” metrics and noted 10 programs where fewer than 50% of undergraduates take 30 credit hours per year; K‑State plans to work with those programs to identify structural or financial barriers to faster progression.

Regents asked about transfer data and the potential to report specific course performance back to two‑year partners; K‑State leaders said they are already sharing course‑level findings and that community colleges welcome the data for curriculum adjustments. Regents also asked for specifics on master’s and doctoral programs not meeting minima and what steps the university is taking; K‑State said it has put several programs on action plans, merged others, and will continue targeted investments and curricular redesign.

K‑State’s presentation emphasized that the program‑review work was informed by its strategic plan and KBOR priorities and that the university’s enrollment picture had stabilized and begun modest growth after recent declines. Officials told regents they will continue program revitalization and return with updates tied to the action plans and strategic investments.