PennWest says proposed cuts streamline education

A decision on whether to adopt the plan is expected to be announced in the next few weeks.

By KELLEN STEPLER
TribLive

Pennsylvania Western University officials say their proposal that slashes dozens of academic programs will ultimately improve students’ college experience, enhance their learning and respond to the region’s workforce needs.

The university — which has campuses in Clarion, California and Edinboro — released an updated proposed academic array that includes:

• 43 bachelor’s degree majors, reduced from 47.

• 40 minors, reduced from 74.

• 37 undergraduate certificates, increased from 19.

PennWest President Jon Anderson is currently reviewing the proposal, James Fisher, interim provost and vice president of academic affairs, told TribLive. Fisher anticipates a decision being made on the plan in the coming weeks.

Any changes would work through PennWest’s governance review process this spring, Fisher said, and implementation of the new programming would begin in the fall semester.

“It’s natural when we announce something like this, people will focus on the reductions,” Fisher said. “But what we’re doing is not subtracting, it’s rebuilding, refocusing and redesigning.”

Under the plan, most undergraduate degree programs will have a more streamlined design that reduces the number of credits to complete a major.

“It also makes it easier to support a bachelor’s degree with a minor or certificate,” Fisher said. “If you have the right two programs, you could graduate with two degrees within the 120 credit hours.”

Some current minors are being shifted to certificates. Minors are at least 18 credit hours in length, and certificates can require as few as nine credit hours.

“They carry the exact same weight with employers,” Fisher said.

Certificates can be obtained by non-matriculating students, Fisher said. The plan also aims to make courses more accessible for transfer or dual enrollment students.

Although PennWest’s enrollment has declined over the years, it did see growth in dual enrollment – up 270% from fall 2024 to fall 2025 — and students transferring to the college.

“A lot of these minors are repackaged and redesigned as certificates in a more flexible way,” Fisher said.

TribLive in December obtained an email from PennWest that recommended more than 100 academic offerings be placed in moratorium, meaning the program will stop accepting new students but students already enrolled would be able to finish their degrees.

“Programs were reviewed using several factors, including student demand, job and workforce relevance and enrollment trends,” PennWest spokeswoman Wendy Mackall told TribLive at the time. “The review was led by academic leadership and involved extensive input from faculty and students, with a focus on keeping PennWest’s programs clear, relevant and sustainable for students.”

Planned cuts have drawn resistance from some students. An online petition challenging proposed cuts to arts programs at the California campus has nearly 1,300 signatures.

University officials said more than 1,300 students participated in a survey last fall on their current and desired academic experience. A program review done by administration this fall focused “on ensuring PennWest’s programming fully aligns with student success, career readiness, flexibility, workforce demand and student interests.”

PennWest also plans to launch a “Keystone Experiences” program that aims to provide students with a wide range of extracurriculars, Fisher said.

“It’s us taking a holistic look at the overall student experience and making sure it’s supportive and developmental,” he said.

Among graduate programs, PennWest plans to offer 23 master’s degree options, down from 27.

PennWest plans to add a school librarian certification to its master’s in teacher education; and a concentration in K-12 athletic administration to its master’s of science degree in sport management studies.

Current master’s level programs slated to be phased out include athletic training, professional accountancy, corporate communications and legal studies.

Fisher said there will not be any staffing reductions as a direct result of the proposed changes.

“We’re always looking at staffing needs to enrollment,” he said. “If any attrition were to occur, it would be due to retirements or natural separation.”