BREAKING NEWS: University of Evansville Announces Institutional Realignment Plan

 University of Evansville Announces Institutional Realignment Plan For Academic, Athletic, and administrative adjustments address deficit and position University for growth 

EVANSVILLE, IN (03/11/2021) The University of Evansville (UE) today announced an institutional realignment plan that includes changes to academics, athletics and administration. The plan addresses the unsustainable structural deficit for the University and positions it for strategic growth as a 21st Century institution grounded in liberal arts and sciences. 

The plan, which results from three months of discussion with faculty, students, and other stakeholders, results in fewer faculty and program cutbacks than originally announced. It also ensures that UE will continue to offer 75+ majors, provide strong financial and educational support to students, and remain a part of Division I athletics. All current students will be able to graduate with their selected majors. 

“After dozens of meetings with faculty, students, parents, and alumni, I am pleased to announce that this plan meets our financial goals with far fewer reductions,” said University President Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz. “The plan puts us on very solid financial footing and will allow us to strategically invest in our students, faculty, staff, and programs going forward.” 

Key academic changes include: 

• The Schroeder Family School of Business Administration and the College of Engineering and Computer Science will merge into the College of Business & Engineering, allowing for synergies in cross-disciplinary programming, experiential education, and engagement with employers. 

• The Department of Music will transition into the UE Music Conservatory, allowing UE to retain all five music degrees (Music Education, Music Therapy, Music Management, Music Performance, and the BA in Music), increase revenue through enhanced and new partnerships, and expand its reach through innovative community offerings. 

• Several majors will be retained as a direct result of adopted faculty proposals that created novel, cost-effective, and sustainable solutions for the future. Majors being retained include: 

o Cognitive Science 

o Computer Science 

o Ethics and Social Change 

o History 

o Physics 

o Political Science 

o Spanish 

• Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Software Engineering will pause admissions of new freshmen for one year as potential options for redesigning these majors are evaluated. The hiring of qualified visiting professors will ensure all current students in these programs will be able to continue their studies through graduation without any anticipated changes to the University’s status with the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) during this time. 

• Art History, Philosophy, and Religion will no longer be offered as majors to incoming students. All current students in these majors will be able to continue through graduation in their chosen disciplines. Religion will remain as a minor. 

As part of the realignment, 19 tenured faculty members elected to participate in the voluntary separation program that includes severance of 12 months’ pay and a one-time $10,000 payment to assist with healthcare costs. These faculty members will teach through the end of the current academic year. Five additional faculty will move into redesigned positions at UE, and three faculty will enter into a phased retirement period. Beyond this, no other faculty positions will be eliminated. This is significantly fewer reductions than the 38 faculty positions originally announced in the draft academic realignment plan and will provide greater savings. 

More than 12 faculty proposals have been incorporated into the plan, including: 

• The creation of the UE Music Conservatory that preserves all music majors and will reach more broadly into the community to teach and introduce young people to our outstanding faculty. 

• The engagement of a faculty member to serve as a faculty recruiting coordinator. This coordinator will lead an Academic Recruitment Team consisting of faculty members who will all receive course releases to serve on this team. 

• A proposal from Biology will work to establish a Master of Science in Genetics and Disease along with a new dual BS/MS option for Biology and related majors.

Key athletic changes include: 

• The elimination of nearly $1.1 million in future expenses through changes to UE’s athletic scholarship program in golf, swimming, and track and field. No current student-athlete scholarships will be affected by these changes. 

• An annual savings of more than $300,000 through an updated room and board policy for athletic scholarship recipients. 

These changes to UE Athletics will make it a near break-even program as our student-athletes continue to compete at the NCAA Division I level. 

The key administrative changes include: 

• The elimination of a total of 12 administrative positions in the Department of Academic Affairs, Department of Fiscal Affairs and Administration, and Department of Student Affairs. 

• Phase-out of Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association (VEBA) plan. Current full-time employees age 40 and over will continue to receive annual discretionary contributions. Eligibility will cease for current employees under the age of 40 and all future hires. 

Members of the University of Evansville Board of Trustees have been fully briefed on the institutional realignment plan. The Executive Committee has recommended approval to the full Board of Trustees, which will meet Friday, March 12, 2021. 

“Higher education is constantly evolving, and the University of Evansville is being innovative and adapting to meet the needs of future students and remain financially strong,’’ said Linda White, chair of UE’s Board of Trustees. “The UE Administration has done an admirable job of managing what we knew would be a challenging process. We are grateful to the entire UE community for their input, their patience, and their support through this time. Our students, faculty, and staff are personally thanked for creating the future University of Evansville.”

Key athletic changes include: 

• The elimination of nearly $1.1 million in future expenses through changes to UE’s athletic scholarship program in golf, swimming, and track and field. No current student-athlete scholarships will be affected by these changes. 

• An annual savings of more than $300,000 through an updated room and board policy for athletic scholarship recipients. 

These changes to UE Athletics will make it a near break-even program as our student-athletes continue to compete at the NCAA Division I level. 

The key administrative changes include: 

• The elimination of a total of 12 administrative positions in the Department of Academic Affairs, Department of Fiscal Affairs and Administration, and Department of Student Affairs. 

• Phase-out of Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association (VEBA) plan. Current full-time employees age 40 and over will continue to receive annual discretionary contributions. Eligibility will cease for current employees under the age of 40 and all future hires. 

Members of the University of Evansville Board of Trustees have been fully briefed on the institutional realignment plan. The Executive Committee has recommended approval to the full Board of Trustees, which will meet Friday, March 12, 2021. 

“Higher education is constantly evolving, and the University of Evansville is being innovative and adapting to meet the needs of future students and remain financially strong,’’ said Linda White, chair of UE’s Board of Trustees. “The UE Administration has done an admirable job of managing what we knew would be a challenging process. We are grateful to the entire UE community for their input, their patience, and their support through this time. Our students, faculty, and staff are personally thanked for creating the future University of Evansville.”