By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News
On Tuesday, Aug. 12, in a meeting of the Utah Board of Higher Education, Utah State University, alongside the University of Utah and Weber State University, received approval for their ‘Strategic Reinvestment Plan’ mandated by HB265.
The bill – which seeks to cut $60.5 million from the budgets of the state’s universities – required universities statewide to evaluate and reallocate funding to programs deemed to be the highest value to students and the state’s economy.
“As we implement these changes, we seek to strengthen programs for students, support impacted employees, and position USU to meet the future needs of students and the state,” reads USU’s strategic reinvestment website. “We will remain dedicated to: Preserving a student-focused environment. Prioritizing job-ready skills. And enhancing our financial effectiveness.”
According to the University, these program cuts will impact fewer than 250 students.
At the Price Campus of USU Eastern, the sole campus-specific cut is the Associate of Arts degree, resulting in the loss of the Theatre Program in Price.
“We challenged our institutions to think boldly and strategically about how to direct resources toward the greatest impact for students and the state,” said Amanda Covington, chair of the Utah Board of Higher Education. “These updated plans reflect that systemwide commitment. From health care and STEM fields to timely degree completion and career readiness, Utah’s public colleges and universities are ensuring that strategic reinvestment translates directly into stronger educational quality and outcomes.”
With Utah State’s plan, over 83% of reinvestment allocations are dedicated to instruction, representing about an 18% net increase. Approval of this plan is conditional on review of Utah State’s new president.
The approval from the UBHE advances the proposals from the universities to the state legislature for review. If approved by the legislature, USU can reclaim 10% of its annual budget which was cut in the 2025 legislative session.
USU’s full strategic reinvestment plan can be found here.