University of North Texas announced plans to eliminate or merge over 70 academic programs — from certificates to master’s degrees — to close a $45 million budget shortfall. President Harrison Keller and Provost Michael McPherson cited falling graduate international enrollment, a $32 million decline in state instructional appropriations, and program-level metrics such as enrollment and “time to value” as drivers of the decisions. UNT will merge its Department of Linguistics into World Languages, phasing out all linguistics degrees, and will discontinue several low-enrollment master’s programs in media studies, gender studies, and early childhood education. Officials said current students will be allowed to finish degrees but new admits will be blocked. Leaders did not confirm whether faculty layoffs will follow; program closures typically trigger curricular realignment, redeployment, and potential job losses for contingent and tenure-line faculty. The cuts underscore how enrollment shifts and state funding volatility are reshaping academic portfolios at public universities. Higher‑education finance officers and academic leaders will watch UNT’s operational playbook closely: program prioritization metrics, teach‑out plans for students, and governance steps taken to manage faculty, accreditation, and shared governance risks.