UD’s response to the ongoing higher education crisis is strategic, mission-oriented.
When headlines reveal the struggles troubling higher education, it’s important to understand that the University of Dayton is going to be OK — and more.
That’s what members of senior leadership have been sharing with faculty, staff and key stakeholders, including the board of trustees, alumni leaders, advisory councils and the Parent Leadership Council, during vigorous conversations about UD’s future. These conversations, which have been ongoing since just before the pandemic, have accelerated since spring.
“The universities that will survive — and thrive — in this challenging era are those that embrace change,” wrote President Eric F. Spina in a piece this June for the Dayton Daily News. This includes hard work happening across the University to ensure UD’s distinctive Catholic, Marianist education thrives and deepens.
The University this summer announced changes to return the institution to the approximate size it was during the 2012-13 academic year. This means intentionally shrinking the undergraduate class size by 10-15% while reducing the cost structure to support a smaller student body. Graduate programs that are neither mission-critical nor have meaningful enrollment will be suspended, while undergraduate programs will streamline degree requirements to create greater flexibility and opportunity for students.
A smaller student body means fewer instructors, and UD will send out non-renewal notifications by late winter to those affected faculty whose contracts are expiring in May 2025, said Darlene Weaver, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.
“This will impact valued colleagues who are excellent teachers, many of whom engage in scholarship and contribute to campus life. It's not at all easy to say goodbye,” Weaver said. “We are providing early notification in the interest of transparency so faculty who would be potentially impacted have ample opportunity to navigate the job market and so we can advance curricular revisions in a timely manner.”
Notification to affected staff will happen in late winter and early spring.
The University is taking these actions while still running a modestly above-break-even operating margin. Senior administration has committed to return to a 3% operating margin by 2028, a target endorsed by the board of trustees.
Among the challenges faced by most institutions are the shrinking base of college-aged students, significant declines in international student enrollment, decreased public confidence in higher education and rising operational costs. To operate like a small city, UD must maintain housing, food, utility, recreation, health, safety, compliance and other service costs, while net tuition revenues decline as delivery costs outpace what students actually pay.
Current climate and future environment require more concerted and strategic action, said Andy Horner, executive vice president for business and administrative services. He said becoming more financially stable will mean the University is less subject to the individual market whims in a particular year and allow for investment to strengthen mission, support students and promote academic success.
“We are actively responding to our market reality in a manner that I think a lot of our alumni would appreciate,” he said. “It’s requiring some very challenging decisions that will make UD the premier residential Catholic education in the country.”
UD is implementing changes guided by its “One University” strategic plan and five strategic directions, as approved by the board of trustees, Spina said.
“We are investing in deepening and increasing the excellence and impact of our undergraduate education through major investment in advising and taking our experiential learning from first class to best-in-class,” Spina said.
“We want to ensure everybody has access to high-impact, mentored and reflective experiential learning opportunities and access to enhanced health and wellness services.”
The continuing success of the We Soar campaign is supporting these initiatives, and the changes outlined above will ensure donor dollars continue to be used for what donors intend. Spina said this includes the University’s commitment to remain a place that’s accessible to all qualified students.
The University is seeking additional sources of revenue, including expected continued growth of the UD Research Institute and through investment in academic research. The University’s partnership with Premier Health is also attracting external funds for the onMain development, which will build opportunities for researchers, faculty, students and others in the region.
Weaver underscored the University's commitment to transparency and community engagement as these changes take shape.
“We are doing the work that is needed to position the university to be competitively responsive to the external market while continuing to preserve the Catholic, Marianist identity that makes us so special,” Weaver said. “This work is absolutely necessary.”