Shrinking educational choices for rural students: Colleges decrease offered majors, dismissing them easily
In the heartland of America, a silent crisis is unfolding. Approximately 13 million people reside in higher education "deserts," primarily in the Midwest and Great Plains, where access to quality education is dwindling. This crisis is not just affecting rural universities but also the students who aspire for a higher education.
Many rural universities are grappling with plummeting enrollment and financial crises, leading to large-scale elimination of programs and majors. Youngstown State University in Ohio, for instance, has axed more than 25 programs in recent years, including Italian, religious studies, and others. West Virginia University is eliminating 28 undergraduate and graduate majors and programs, while The State University of New York at Fredonia is dropping 13 majors.
St. Cloud State University in Minnesota is cutting 42 degree programs, including criminal justice, gerontology, history, electrical and environmental engineering, economics, and physics. Delta State University in Mississippi has eliminated 21 degree programs, including history, English, chemistry, and music.
The situation is not unique to public universities. More than a dozen private colleges serving rural places have closed since 2020, with many rural private institutions also axing majors. Some examples include Wittenberg University, Saint Mary's University, Keystone College, Warren Wilson College, Bethany Lutheran College, Baldwin Wallace University, Illinois Wesleyan University, University of Evansville, and Northland College, which cut its number of majors from 24 to eight.
The current status of these cuts is a result of federal funding cuts and shifting government priorities. For instance, the University at Buffalo's federally funded rural mental health training program, critical for training social workers to serve rural communities, will end after 2025 due to a $3 million cut by the U.S. Department of Education.
Tribal colleges in Montana face potentially devastating budget cuts, including proposals that could eliminate up to 90% of their federal funding. Institutions such as Aaniiih Nakoda College and Little Big Horn College rely heavily on federal dollars to operate and serve their communities.
The consequences of these cuts are far-reaching. They include halted initiatives, program closures, loss of training opportunities for rural students, and broader negative impacts on rural workforce development and community wellbeing. The proportion of rural high school graduates going to college at all is falling, with only 55% enrolling right after high school, down from 61% in 2016.
The University of Montana has phased out or frozen more than 30 certificate, undergraduate, and graduate degree programs and concentrations. Delta State University eliminated 20 degree programs, including digital media arts.
Despite these challenges, some students and faculty argue that it's important to offer programs even if there are no students currently enrolled in them. Shamya Jones, a student from rural Mississippi, enrolled at a local community college due to lack of transportation and a new baby. She later transferred to Delta State University, a four-year campus near her home, to continue her education.
The crisis in rural education is a complex issue, requiring careful consideration and collective action. It reflects a broader national trend of rural educational institutions struggling to maintain programs amid shrinking public funding, with tribal colleges particularly vulnerable due to their dependence on federal support linked to treaty commitments. Efforts are needed to address this crisis, ensuring that every student, regardless of their location, has access to quality education.
References:
- Rural mental health training program at University at Buffalo to end after $3 million cut
- Cispus Learning Center facing drastic reductions due to cuts in state Outdoor Learning Grant funding
- Tribal colleges in Montana face potentially devastating budget cuts
- Federal funding cuts impact rural public media stations and college-affiliated broadcast hubs
- Tribal college leaders argue budget cuts violate treaty obligations
- The silent crisis in higher education access is particularly prevalent in the Midwest and Great Plains, where over 13 million people reside in education deserts.
- Despite the financial challenges faced by rural universities, such as plummeting enrollment and elimination of programs, some argue it's crucial to maintain educational offerings for the sake of self-development and equality.
- The inequality in education access is far-reaching, with consequences including halted initiatives, program closures, and negative impacts on rural workforce development and community wellbeing, as seen in the declining college enrollment rates of rural high school graduates.
