WINONA, Minn. (FOX 9) - Saint Mary's University in Winona, Minnesota announced Tuesday it is dropping 11 major programs, as the college plans a shift towards business, technology, and the sciences amid declining enrollment.
More than half of the majors being cut are part of the college's School of Arts and Humanities. Among the majors being dropped are:
- Actuarial Science
- Art
- English
- History
- Human Services
- International Business
- Music
- Music Industry
- Spanish
- Theatre
- Theology
In a news release, the university says the move is "to better position itself financially for long-term sustainability and success, as higher education continues to experience increasing competition for fewer students."
"We want to provide students with programs that are in demand, have a high potential for growth, and that many want to pursue now," wrote Saint Mary’s president Father James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D. "And, we are aligning the programs we offer with our mission as we answer the question: how can we best prepare our students for work, for a life of ethical service, to pursue the greater good and the truth in all things while answering their questions about meaning and purpose? The goal is for our graduates to excel in their early careers, become future leaders in their fields, and use their special gifts to impact humanity."
The university says, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, 1 million fewer Americans are attending college -- and university officials say they could worsen to 3 million in the coming decade.