Marshall University approved a package of program cuts and expansions as it manages a projected fiscal 2026 deficit and fluctuating enrollment. The West Virginia public institution will cut seven academic programs and expand or improve five others, with board approval at its Wednesday meeting. The university said the changes follow a demand-and-outcomes program review mandated by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. The commission’s 2022 rule requires colleges to evaluate programs at least once every five years using demand, student outcomes, and delivery cost. Interim Provost Robert Bookwalter’s plan called for discontinuing programs once current students complete their degrees. The initiative also targets deficit reduction: Marshall reported an estimated $10.2 million deficit for fiscal 2026, down from what officials budgeted, and said the gap is expected to come under $3 million next year. Marshall’s enrollment context underscores the pressure: federal data show fall 2024 headcount at 11,958 students, down 7% from five years earlier. The university also tied broader financial recovery to eliminating spending waste and investing in people through salary increases, while planning a $21.8 million campus deferred maintenance investment blitz funded by the state.