Reviewing and Strengthening Our Academic Portfolio

Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

With the new academic year less than a week away, I look forward to connecting with our new and returning community members. We are fortunate that in a complex and challenging environment for higher education, Syracuse University enters this year in a position of fiscal stability. Remaining so will require a continued commitment to directing our resources to their highest and best use.

To that end, I have asked each dean to begin an academic portfolio review within their school or college with the goal of advancing our university’s strategic priorities and supporting the distinctive goals of each school and college. Deans will deliver their recommendations to me by the end of the semester. I will report out on next steps during the January 2026 University Senate meeting and share that report more broadly with our community.

This process includes meaningful engagement with faculty and relevant Senate committees to ensure the ongoing health of our programs while aligning resources with academic priorities. Regularly reviewing our academic portfolio is both a recognized best practice and an essential strategy to help us identify strengths, address areas for improvement, make data-informed decisions and direct resources where they will have the greatest impact.

Each dean has been provided with detailed data to guide these reviews, including enrollment trends, course and faculty information, and market analysis. I have asked the deans to work closely with their faculty to determine which programs are stable, which could benefit from re-envisioning or re-branding and which, based on clear evidence and market demand, may need to be phased out. In the coming days, the deans will outline opportunities for your participation in the process. These may include surveys, engagement sessions and other forums for dialogue, all designed to ensure broad input and shared understanding. This is not a review of departments or people, but a thoughtful examination of programs, degrees and majors.

Higher education is confronting significant challenges, including demographic shifts, evolving student and employer expectations, debate around the value of higher education and increasing pressures on financial sustainability. Unlike many institutions that have been forced to take drastic and draconian measures in response to these conditions, we are choosing a proactive, collaborative path to determine how to best invest in the programs that serve our students and fulfill our mission.

The portfolio review builds on efforts already underway in many of our schools and colleges and reflects the shared governance that is central to our decision-making. By working together, we can strengthen our academic profile, invest in high-quality, high-demand programs and ensure that our offerings remain relevant, competitive and aligned with our mission.

Sincerely,

Lois Agnew
Interim Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer