A new statute took effect last year that seeks to cull academic offerings that produce low numbers of graduates. Indiana’s public colleges are shedding or consolidating about 580 academic programs following a review by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education under a 2025 state law aiming to cull offerings that graduate low numbers of students. Of those, roughly 370 programs are being merged or consolidated, while the remaining 210 are being suspended or eliminated. The programs represent roughly a quarter of all academic offerings across Indiana’s public colleges. Even more cuts could be ahead. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun recently signed legislation directing the state’s public colleges to either end academic programs considered to produce “low earning” graduates or seek a waiver from the higher education commission.
