"Distressed, Disheartened, and Perplexed": Jacksonville University Students Respond to Cuts in the Fine Arts Program
Students at Jacksonville University (JU) are upset after the school announced it will cut several fine arts programs and lay off nearly 40 faculty members. This decision is part of a bigger plan to focus on programs with higher job demand, like nursing, engineering, and computer science.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, the day after JU President Tim Cost spoke about the changes. “We’re not asking people who like to play the piano to become engineers and nurses,” he explained. “But we need to direct resources to programs that match student interests and career opportunities.”
JU plans to reduce operating costs by 10% across all departments by Fall 2025. Around 20 students in the affected programs will be impacted.
Savannah Ivey, a music technology major, called the decision “a slap in the face.” She shared that students learned about the cuts through a vague email and were confused when faculty and students were not allowed to enter Terry Concert Hall for discussions.
“There’s been a lot of crying and outrage,” Ivey said. “We’re a close-knit community, and now we’re just trying to support each other.”
She also mentioned the difficulties posed by the timing of the announcement. “It’s April. Most transfer deadlines have passed, and students in BFA or music programs would need to re-audition. There’s very little we can do at this point.”
President Cost, who has been at JU for nearly 50 years, assured students that those in discontinued majors can finish their degrees and will receive scholarships for their remaining studies. He also mentioned that special advising teams are available to help students explore other options, such as switching to a Bachelor of Arts degree.
JU confirmed that 38 faculty members would be laid off and offered severance packages and support services.
Discontinued Programs
The following majors, minors, and certificates will be phased out across various colleges:
College of Fine Arts and Humanities, Linda Berry Stein Division
- Music (including Jazz, Commercial Music, Education, Technology, Therapy, Performance, Musical Theatre, and Composition)
- Theatre (major and minor)
- Philosophy
- Art History and Glass concentrations
- World Languages (major and minor)
- MFA in Visual Arts
Legacy College of Arts & Sciences
- Education (Community and ESOL tracks)
- Data Science (major and minor)
- Social Sciences
- Marine Science (Oceanography track)
Davis College of Business & Technology
- Engineering Management
- FinTech
- Healthcare Administration
- MBA tracks (FinTech, Health Informatics, Healthcare Management, and Portfolio Management)
- Business-related certificates
Brooks Rehabilitation College of Healthcare Sciences
- Respiratory Care BS Completion
- Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) Minor
- Play Therapy Certificate
Even with the cuts, JU will offer 37 undergraduate majors and minors and 15 graduate programs. These include popular areas like mental health counseling, speech-language pathology, and marine science. On May 5, the Linda Berry Stein College of Fine Arts & Humanities will combine with the College of Arts & Sciences to form the new Stein College of Arts & Sciences.
JU’s Chief Financial Officer, Kim Banks, explained that these changes are necessary due to current trends in higher education. She said, "This is a crucial time for universities like ours to focus more on our main students and achieve long-term financial stability."
