East Carolina University announced plans to discontinue 44 undergraduate and graduate programs after an internal portfolio review identified offerings “that aren’t meeting expectations.” The university paired the academic cuts with teach-out plans and consolidation of institutional units, including merging health colleges into a single school. The change is framed as part of an effort to cut $25 million in expenses, targeting $6.2 million in cuts so far. ECU said many programs slated for closure were recommended by faculty, and that faculty transitions would be handled through retirement incentives rather than layoffs. For students and faculty, the announcement adds near-term uncertainty around degree completion paths, while for the institution it signals a continued shift toward smaller, more targeted academic portfolios as budget pressure rises.