St. Cloud State announces recommendations to significantly reduce budget

St. Cloud State announced its recommendations to significantly reduce school spending.

Among the recommendations were the elimination of 46 degree programs and the elimination of 57 faculty positions. St. Cloud State suffered an operating loss of $18 million in 2023 and is expected to lose $15 million this year.

The school’s interim president, Larry Lee, says the school will have 90 programs remaining after the cuts and that 91 percent of its students are enrolled in those 90 programs.

The 57 faculty jobs represent about 13 percent of St. Cloud State’s full-time faculty. The jobs that would be eliminated would come from the elimination of programs, but also from some of the 90 programs maintained.

St. Cloud State officials say declining enrollment has led to budget problems. Enrollment at the school peaked in 2010 with just over 18,000 students. It now has around 10,000 students.