Fresno Pacific University is eliminating 16 programs due to low enrollment and cutting 10% of its faculty to reduce costs. The board of trustees affirmed the plan at Oct. 27-28 meetings.

The 16 programs affect 88 students, or about 3% of the 2023-24 enrollment of 2,912 students. FPU will no longer enroll students in the following programs, though current students will be offered classes and resources needed to complete degrees:

Traditional undergraduate — arts administration, biblical/theological studies, chemistry B.A., chemistry B.S., graphic design, mathematics B.A., mathematics B.S., applied mathematics, philosophy, political science, pre-law, Spanish, theater;

Bachelor’s degree completion — computer information systems;

Graduate/seminary — sports administration, theology, Old Testament.

Courses in many of these areas will still be available to fulfill general education requirements and requirements in other majors.

The 11 faculty who will end their employment in June represent 10% of FPU’s 109 regular faculty members. Another 12 faculty positions are not being refilled. The university declined to specify which positions were cut or to discuss other personnel matters.

Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary will continue to exist. It is being consolidated with FPU’s other four schools into two new divisions: a School of Arts and Sciences and a School of Graduate and Professional Studies.

The university indicated academic realignment will help it deal with a projected deficit and focus on areas of student interest, including bachelor’s degree completion programs in business management, liberal arts and criminology and master’s degree programs in teacher education, nursing and school psychology/counseling.

“We realize these changes are painful and involve people who have dedicated their lives and careers to support FPU,” said President André Stephens. “We pray for the beloved colleagues who are affected by these changes.”