Dive Brief:

• As it looks to overcome operating losses, Eastern Oregon University is planning to cut $4.8 million in costs, an 8.4% reduction, after its board approved a budget for the 2025 fiscal year on Wednesday.
• The cuts would leave nearly two dozen vacant positions unfilled and eliminate four staff and administrative positions that are currently filled, according to a presentation to the board.
• For its current fiscal year, Eastern Oregon’s operating expenses outpace its revenue by about $3.8 million, representing a growing deficit from the prior year.

Dive Insight:

Eastern Oregon joins an ever-growing roster of colleges trying to cut costs in operations and academic programs to adapt financially to shrinking enrollment.

Since 2017, total enrollment at Eastern Oregon fell 11.3% to 2,674 students in fall 2022. Enrollment has fallen by more than 35% since 2010. 

For the 2024-25 academic year, administration projects flat — versus declining — enrollment, thanks to recent recruitment and retention efforts, according to LeeAnn Case, Eastern Oregon’s interim vice president for finance and administration. 

Case said Eastern Oregon’s administration tried “not to impact humans” with its new budget — targeting mainly positions at the university that are vacant. 

The new budget will leave 10 staff jobs, three administrative roles and 10 faculty positions unfilled. But ultimately, one currently filled staff position and three administrative roles will be cut. 

All told, the compensation reductions will save $3 million in the budget, according to Case’s presentation. 

The plan also reduces budgets for services and operations, cutting $86,000 in travel spending, $395,000 in software spending, and $545,000 from services and supplies. The latter reduction represents a “pretty big hit” given the relatively small budget for services and supplies at Eastern Oregon, Case said. 

Besides budget reductions, Eastern Oregon also plans to raise tuition and fees, including a 4.5% tuition hike for on-campus resident undergraduates and a 3% hike across all graduate tuition. 

The combined cuts and tuition increases will allow the university to end fiscal 2025 with a modest surplus of $640,000.

Founded in 1929 as a teacher’s college, Eastern Oregon touts its affordability as well as its role as a rural educational and hands-on learning hub.