Here’s what Purdue degree programs are going away to satisfy new state law

83 degree programs flagged on all Purdue campuses. IU system losing 249, among 408 listed at six state colleges and universities, courtesy of last-minute addition to state budget bill this spring

• Thanks to sponsor Stuart & Branigin for continued support of the Based in Lafayette reporting project.

---

PURDUE TAGS DEGREE PROGRAMS FOR MERGER, SUSPENSION TO SATISFY NEW STATE LAW

Seven degree programs at Purdue’s West Lafayette campus were listed among 83 systemwide and more than 400 at all of Indiana’s state campuses listed for suspension, elimination or merger to meet requirements inserted in the state’s new two-year budget, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education announced Monday.

In all, the cuts – stemming from a provision slipped into the budget bill at in the waning hours of the 2025 General Assembly session – account for roughly 19% of the 2,200 degree programs offered at Purdue, IU, Indiana State, Ivy Tech Community College and University of Southern Indiana, according to the Commission for Higher Education.

(Photo: Dave Bangert)

The list released late Monday afternoon identified the programs as being “voluntarily submitted” by the universities that “elected to proactively identify programs with zero-to-low enrollments and completions” ahead of the budget bill going into effect Tuesday.

The new state law sets three-year average thresholds for degree programs at state colleges and universities, requiring quotas of 15 graduates for bachelor’s degrees, seven for master’s degrees and three for doctorate programs.

On Purdue’s West Lafayette campus, no program was immediately eliminated. But the university volunteered suspending four, with what the state called a “teach out toward elimination;” one with a commitment to suspend; and two to merge/consolidate.

They include:

• Ph.D. in comparative literature, merge/consolidate

• Bachelor’s in comparative literature, merge/consolidate

• Bachelor’s in microbiology, suspending with teach-out toward elimination

• Bachelor’s in mathematics with computer science, suspending with teach-out toward elimination

• Bachelor’s in design and production, suspending with teach-out toward elimination

• Bachelor’s in art history, written commitment to suspend the program before academic year 2026-27

• Master’s in health sciences, suspending with teach-out toward elimination

At other Purdue campuses, Purdue Fort Wayne had 58 degree programs targeted, and Purdue Northwest had 18.

Details about those mergers, consolidations and teach-outs toward elimination weren’t addressed immediately by Purdue officials.

It also wasn’t clear how many more programs still might be targeted by the Commission for Higher Education that weren’t voluntarily offered up by Purdue.

As of Tuesday, July 1, universities must get approval from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to keep programs that have enrollments below the new thresholds.

Here were the totals for other universities:

• Ball State: 51

• Indiana State: 11

• Indiana University, all campuses: 249; IU Bloomington had 116 of those

• Ivy Tech Community College: 10

• Southern Indiana: 4

The cuts included 75 eliminated programs, including 68 with zero enrollments; 101 suspended heading toward elimination; and 232 mergers and consolidations.

Here’s the full list of eliminated or suspended degree programs for all universities, released Monday via the Indiana Commission for Higher Education.

Students already in eliminated or suspended degree programs will be allowed to complete their studies, according to the Commission for Higher Education.

Gov. Mike Braun touted the cuts are a step toward making sure “Indiana’s higher education institutions are preparing students for career opportunities in the most in-demand fields of today and the future.”

“Just in the past month, our state institutions have taken bold, proactive steps to increase the value of higher education for both students and families, first, through keeping tuition flat, and today, by beginning the process to streamline degree offerings,” Braun said in a release issued Monday. “This will help students make more informed decisions about the degree they want to pursue and ensure there is a direct connection between the skills students are gaining through higher education and the skills they need most.”

---

THIS AND THAT/OTHER READS

SIA’S 6 MILLIONTH SUBARU VEHICLE: … was at 2025 Subaru Legacy Limited in cosmic blue pearl, driven off the Subaru of Indiana assembly line at 6:30 p.m. June 25, the company reported. The first Legacy rolled off SIA’s line on Sept. 11, 1989, the first day of production at what was then called Subaru-Isuzu Automotive on Indiana 38 East. This one will be among the last of that model in Lafayette, with production ending on the Legacy at the end of 2025. The line at Lafayette will replace production of Legacy models with the Subaru Forester in the fall and the Forester Hybrid in spring 2026. According to the company, SIA expects to produce its 8 millionth overall vehicle – including Subaru, Isuzu and Toyota Camry models since 1989 – in November. SIA also assembles the Ascent, Crosstrek and Outback models.

(Photo via SIA)

BROOKS BARNHIZER’S INTRO IN OKLAHOMA CITY: Isa Almeida, a reporter for The Oklahoman, profiled former Northwestern forward Brooks Barnhizer, after the Lafayette Jeff grad went in the second round of last week’s NBA Draft to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Among the comments from Barnhizer, four years removed from his time at Jeff’s Crawley Center: “I can’t wait to do whatever I can do to make those fans happy, and do whatever I can do to try to get us back to being successful every year. I can’t wait to get started on that.” For more: “How OKC Thunder discovered Brooks Barnhizer well in advance of 2025 NBA Draft.”

J&C reporter Sam King had more about Barnhizer’s basketball career at Lafayette Jeff and Northwestern here.

---

AND, FINALLY … THIS REMINDER: EXTEND YOUR BASED IN LAFAYETTE SUBSCRIPTION BY CHIPPING IN FOR CASAs FOR KIDS FUND: The 2025 edition of the Subaru CASA Cycling Challenge, a 24-hour event held Aug. 2-3 at the two-mile Subaru of Indiana Automotive test track in Lafayette, will again have a version of Bangert Brothers team there to put in some laps in support to the CASAs for Kids Fund here in Tippecanoe County.

The CASAs for Kids Fund is set up for abused or neglected kids who wind up in the court system and in foster care, offering funding for clothing, bedding, school band instruments, field trip or summer camp fees, dance class, equipment to join sports teams and other things the system can’t provide. The CASAs for Kids Fund gets them that stuff and gets them that much closer to a normal life as a kid. And fundraising tied to the 24-hour ride gets the CASAs for Kids Fund geared up for the next year.

Just like last year, I’ll add a free month to your full-access Based in Lafayette subscription for a donation of any amount to the Bangert Brothers team or team members.

Thanks for generosity of those of you who have already chipped in.

If you’re game, here’s the link.

Thanks, again, to sponsor Stuart & Branigin for continued support of the Based in Lafayette reporting project.

Thank you for supporting Based in Lafayette, an independent, local reporting project. Free and full-ride subscription options are ready for you here.

Tips, story ideas? I’m at davebangert1@gmail.com.