HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE: ‘My colleagues and I are still in shock.’ 32 majors marked for elimination at WVU: Other programs were told to reduce faculty as the university looks to make up for a $45M budget shortfall. “The university announced in July that 128 programs would be reviewed for possible discontinuance or reduction. The decisions regarding which programs to discontinue were based on student enrollment trends, enrollment in majors and departments, and department-level metrics including full-time faculty-to-student ratio and programs’ financial status. . . . The university has already cut staff and raised tuition almost 3% in an effort to make up its budget deficit. University leaders have also pointed to a recent price hike in state health insurance premiums as a reason behind the financial crisis. WVU has received less funding from the state legislature, too.”