JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville University Board of Trustees released a letter in support of the president’s decision to cut several academic programs and dismiss 40 faculty members.
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Students have been protesting the decisions to make the cuts for several days on campus.
However, the board, penned by trustee Matt Kane, released an open letter to stand behind President Tim Cost’s decisions.
“The reason we wrote the letter is to be clear where the Board of Trustees stands and clear up some of the information that’s out there,” Kane said.
He added that the decision to eliminate programs like music, philosophy, and theatre arts was not made lightly, and said the faculty played a central role in the decision.
The board insists the restructuring, called the “Future Focused” initiative, is a strategic move to ensure long-term sustainability amid rising costs and shifting higher education trends.
“We want to be clear that the university takes shared governance seriously and the decision made involved the faculty and specifically involved the academic task force, and made a series of recommendations, and had been looking at the university’s programs,” Kane said.
Some key points in the letter reads:
- Stein College is being restructured, not eliminated
- Arts programs like animation, dance, and game design will remain available for students
- Liberal arts core curriculum continues
- All students Scholarships will be honored
- And the arts remain a vital part of JU’s Academic Life
University officials said all the students affected by the cuts will be supported through a dedicated Care Team and offered full-tuition scholarships to complete their degrees.
The board reaffirmed JU’s full accreditation and described the university as being on a strong, stable trajectory, with investments in fields like law, medicine, cybersecurity, and nursing continuing.
University trustees said they will continue to meet with faculty and engage in open dialogue as the transition unfolds. Students said they will keep the pressure on until their concerns are fully addressed.
Read the full letter below.