East Carolina University announced it will discontinue 44 undergraduate and graduate programs after an internal portfolio review, pairing the cuts with teach-out plans and consolidation moves. The university said the programs “aren’t meeting expectations” and outlined $25 million in expense reductions over several years. Senior leaders said three-fourths of the programs targeted for closure were recommended by faculty, and the plan includes consolidation—such as merging health colleges and reorganizing related units—to reduce administrative and operational costs. ECU said the closures would not require layoffs, using faculty retirement incentives for eligible employees. The announcement lands as public universities face enrollment pressure and budget scrutiny, making program review outcomes a key signal for how campuses are restructuring curricula and organizational footprints.