Syracuse University has paused admission for 20 undergraduate majors, including Fine Arts and Digital Humanities, in its College of Arts and Sciences as of late August 2025. The decision, announced at the first senate meeting of the 2025–26 academic year, has sparked faculty concern over a lack of input and perceived targeting of humanities programs. Vice Chancellor and Provost Lois Agnew instructed deans to conduct an academic portfolio review using nine-year enrollment data, with most paused programs having 10 or fewer students. The pause is expected to last one year, though two programs—Earth Sciences and Ethics—have been cut entirely. Classes within paused majors will still be offered, and graduate programs remain unaffected.
This matters because it reflects a broader trend in higher education where humanities and arts programs face enrollment declines and institutional restructuring, often prioritizing STEM and career-oriented fields. The pause at a major university like Syracuse signals potential long-term threats to arts and humanities education, affecting future artists, scholars, and cultural workers. Faculty and observers worry that such decisions, made without broad consultation, could erode the liberal arts foundation of universities and reduce opportunities for students in creative and critical disciplines.