Iowa’s Board of Regents approved closures or mergers of low-enrollment programs at the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa, acting on a low-enrollment threshold tied to workforce alignment and administrative efficiency. The University of Iowa will terminate seven programs, while Northern Iowa will close three graduate programs. The board previously required each of Iowa’s three public universities to review low-enrollment degrees, using cut thresholds of 25 or fewer students in bachelor’s programs and 10 or fewer for graduate offerings. Universities did not eliminate every program that missed the metrics, with UI pointing to faculty efforts that increased major numbers in some cases. Iowa State also is seeking cuts—ten programs and consolidation of 13 others—under a plan headed to the board committee in the coming approval cycle.