KU provost outlines program‑review findings, proposes administrative realignments to strengthen low‑enrolled majors

Provost Bickelmeyer updated the Kansas Board of Regents on an 18‑month academic program review at the University of Kansas, saying the systemwide framework relies on four metrics — student demand, degree production, regional talent pipeline and five‑year median salary — but does not always capture programs’ broader contributions.

“Those include student demand, 25 or more junior or senior majors on a four year average; degree production, 10 or more graduates on a four year average; talent pipeline, 51% or more of graduates working in the region; and student return on investment,” Provost Bickelmeyer told the board. He said those metrics guide the board’s review of more than 300 degree programs and that KU has closed programs in recent years as part of an ongoing cleanup.

Bickelmeyer described program‑level actions to revitalize weaker majors. For geography, KU plans a curriculum redesign and an administrative realignment to create a School of Earth, Energy and Environment that would consolidate related departments and allow faculty to teach general‑education courses more efficiently. The new curriculum is on track for fall 2026, he said.

He outlined targeted recruitment and curricular changes for humanities and smaller interdisciplinary programs. For example, KU will add internship scholarships and career‑pathway mapping for religious studies; run targeted outreach to Jewish day schools and create capstone and experiential learning for Jewish studies; and develop first‑year and transfer seminars and a learning‑community proposal for African and African American studies.

Bickelmeyer also defended the case for some small programs that generate substantial general‑education credit hours, donor support and national reputation. Using Jewish studies as an example, he said the program produces roughly 1,370 credit hours annually — equivalent to about 455 three‑credit enrollments — and generates tuition revenue close to $500,000 against program costs of about $430,000.

Regent Johnston, who chaired the academic affairs committee, urged care when pursuing mergers so programs retain distinct identities where appropriate. “The metrics are good, but they do not capture always the uniqueness and the nuances of programs,” Johnston said, urging that any administrative consolidation preserve degree identity for programs that serve essential general‑education roles.

Bickelmeyer described ongoing faculty and campus governance steps for mergers and emphasized that some units will retain separate degree codes where needed for curricular clarity and accreditation. He said KU is moving toward more frequent, data‑informed program review using enrollment, finance and research metrics and that department plans will help align faculty resources with program goals.

The board received the report and stood ready for follow‑up questions; Bickelmeyer said he would return with further details as units complete governance reviews.