Youngstown State University officials are explaining why they are laying off nine faculty members and cutting 26 academic programs.

They announced the cuts in a press release issued on Monday, saying they are needed to “ensure long-term academic vitality and financial stability”.

Of the 26 programs that will be eliminated next fall, ten have no students and three others have one student, according to the news release.  The University says a total of about 90 students are enrolled in the programs being eliminated.

Two of the nine faculty members being furloughed have been offered reassignment, and one is retiring, according to the statement.

The nine layoffs are fewer than the 16 originally anticipated by the University and first reported by 21 News last Friday. 

University spokesperson Ron Cole, explaining the lower number,  called the number a "bit of a moving target," saying in an email that no other faculty layoffs are expected "for now." 

The discontinued academic programs will be drawn down in such a way that all students will be able to complete their courses of study, said Brien Smith, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.

Smith said that cost-cutting, while not a strategy for a sustainable future, is necessary to free up resources to invest in growth opportunities.

YSU’s Fall 2021 enrollment is down 11 percent from just three years ago. As a result, revenue from tuition and fees is projected to drop by $5.6 million this fiscal year.

This year’s budget was balanced through millions in one-time COVID-19 relief funds, as well as millions of dollars in grants that went directly to students. The University says those temporary funds cannot be relied upon in the future, according to the statement. The result is a potential structural budget deficit of more than $10 million next fiscal year, according to the statement.

The YSU OEA, representing faculty members at the University, earlier said that many of the cuts appeared to be targeted and retaliatory.

YSU OEA President Susan Clutter sad several faculty members who received dismissal notices were key leaders in the union’s contract negotiations and 2020 strike.

Clutter says the faculty union is waiting for the administration to conduct a  forensic audit of all non-academic units.