Syracuse University warned it expects to miss fall 2026 enrollment targets, triggering budget consequences that include a deficit for the first time in years, Chancellor J. Michael Haynie told faculty and staff. Haynie said undergraduate tuition is the university’s primary revenue source, making the shortfall financially significant. The university framed the situation as part of broader headwinds, including the long-expected decline in the traditional-aged student population and tightening student visa policies under the Trump administration. Haynie said international undergraduate and graduate applications are down significantly due to visa difficulties, geopolitical pressures, and federal policy disruptions. Syracuse reported a year-over-year fall 2024 enrollment decline of about 3.5%, with declines particularly tied to international and master’s students. The institution also said it is actively engaging committed first-year students and developing “entrepreneurial recruitment strategies” across units to address the projected shortfall.