Calvin University axes programs, trims faculty amid academic overhaul

Calvin University is cutting over a dozen academic programs and reducing its faculty positions by more than 12% in a major realignment aimed at streamlining its academic portfolio and addressing shifting enrollment trends.

The Grand Rapids, Michigan–based Christian university will phase out undergraduate majors and minors in French, journalism, public health, sociology, and therapeutic recreation. Four graduate programs will also be discontinued.

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The move comes despite recent enrollment growth. University officials cited nationwide demographic changes, fluctuating international student numbers, and evolving attitudes toward higher education as reasons for the shift.

Roughly 3% of full-time faculty will face involuntary layoffs according to MLive, while most departures are expected to be voluntary. The restructuring begins in the 2026–27 academic year and follows months of internal review by university task forces.

In addition to program eliminations, several departments will merge or revise offerings. The geology and environmental sciences department, for example, will consolidate nine degrees into two streamlined majors.

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Calvin says affected students will be able to finish their degrees under formal teach-out plans. The university will continue to offer more than 100 academic programs and remains financially stable with an A- credit rating.

This is the latest in a series of cuts for Calvin, which has previously eliminated programs in art, theater, music education, and classical languages over the past decade to stay aligned with budget and enrollment realities.