This story was updated on Dec. 4 at 5:45 p.m.
More than 20 academic programs will be cut or paused next year, according to information shared with faculty in an email from the provost’s office sent Nov. 25.
The programs, predominantly at the New School for Social Research (NSSR) and Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, will either be merged, indefinitely discontinued and eventually redesigned, or fully discontinued.
The changes will affect students enrolling in fall 2026 and thereafter. These students will never see the programs in their current forms. Current students, however, will be able to declare and continue in their program as-is until graduation, according to the email.
The announcement comes as The New School undertakes a vast restructuring effort to stabilize its finances — including a nearly $50 million deficit — for the future. Changes to academic programs are one of many ongoing cost-saving measures that have increasingly drawn backlash from faculty, staff, and students who criticize the school for downsizing and lacking community input.
Program changes are expected to save $22 million by fiscal year 2030 under all three enrollment scenarios — 6,000, 8,000, and 10,000 students — according to a document from the Finance Working Group that lists cost-cutting measures and their savings and revenue.
Information was shared in an email to faculty and staff by Richard Kessler, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. Further information was linked in the email to a database, Guru, which is only accessible to faculty. The New School Free Press obtained access to the information through faculty.
According to information on Guru, the university determined which programs to cut or restructure based on redundancy elsewhere at the university, low enrollment, enrollment decline, “high full-time faculty ratio to student cohort size within program,” and cost.
The move to a two-college model required streamlining programs, according to information on Guru. The cuts and pauses are meant to maximize university resources, like “offer[ing] fewer credentials more efficiently” and “prioritiz[ing] degree enrollment to maximize University resources and net tuition revenue.”
“While the list of full program closures is limited, I want to acknowledge that decisions of this nature invoke a great sense of loss,” Kessler wrote in his email.
Here’s a breakdown of changes to academic programs:
Programs that will merge:
– Creative Writing (BA – SPE) and the Literary Studies (BA – Lang) concentration in Writing
– Liberal Arts (BA – Lang) and Liberal Arts (BA/BS – SPE)
– Media Studies (BA/BS – SPE) and Screen Studies (BA – Lang)
– Psychology (BA – Lang) and BA Psychology (BA – SPE)
– Collaborative Piano (MM – Mannes) and Piano (MM – Mannes)
– Collaborative Piano (PDPL – Mannes) and Piano (PDPL – Mannes)
– Creative Writing (MFA – SPE) and Creative Publishing and Critical Journalism (MA – NSSR)
Programs to be indefinitely discontinued and eventually redesigned:
These efforts, including the three Lang programs at the bottom, potentially will not proceed, according to Guru, which referred to them all as “proposals.”
– Food Studies (BA/BS, AAS – SPE)
– Environmental Studies – (BA/BS – Lang) and (BA/BS – SPE)
– Global Studies – (BA – Lang) and (BA -SPE)
– Urban Studies – (BA – Lang) and (BA – SPE)
– International Affairs (MA/MS – NSSR)
– Public & Urban Policy (MS – NSSR)
– Sustainability Strategies Certificate (Certificate – Parsons)
– Environmental Policy & Sustainability Management (MS – Parsons)
– Design and Urban Ecologies (MS – Parsons)
The Guru specified that these three will be indefinitely discontinued as part of the redesign process only in the “short-term”
– Anthropology (BA – Lang)
– History (BA – Lang)
– Sociology (BA – Lang)
Programs to be fully discontinued:
– Arts Management and Entrepreneurship (MA – CoPA)
– Strategic Design for Global Leadership (MS – former CPE)
– Teaching ESL (Non-credit Certificate)
– Migration Studies (Non-credit Certificate)
– Film Production (Non-credit Certificate)
– Screenwriting (Non-credit Certificate)
– Documentary Media Studies (Certificate)
More major announcements about restructuring will come in the next few weeks.
Details about voluntary separation, early retirement, and related support resources will come after Thanksgiving break, according to an email sent later on Nov. 25 from Francisco Pineda, executive vice president and chief operating officer, and Sonya Williams, vice president of human resources.
“We recognize the significant effort and dedication required from all staff and faculty as we navigate these necessary changes,” the email said. “We hope you will be able to take time during Thanksgiving break to rest, relax, and restore your energy.”
A previous version of this article’s headline incorrectly stated 25 programs to be cut or paused. The correct version states 23 programs to be cut or paused in the headline.