Aila Boyd
Roanoke College will eliminate four academic programs, create a new School of Health Sciences and Health Innovation, and pursue redevelopment opportunities for its Elizabeth Campus as part of a broader strategy to strengthen the institution’s long-term financial stability.
The changes were outlined by President Frank Shushok Jr. in a July 28 update to faculty and staff, in which he said the college has made significant progress in reducing its structural operating deficit while adapting to changing conditions in higher education.
According to Shushok, Roanoke College has reduced its structural cash deficit from as much as $7.5 million to a projected operating deficit of just over $2 million for the current fiscal year, the lowest since he became president. He said the college expects to achieve a balanced budget within two years through continued curricular innovation, disciplined budgeting and careful spending.
Shushok also highlighted recent financial milestones, noting that Forbes assigned the college a B+ financial health rating this summer and that the institution maintained a BBB+ bond rating with a stable outlook following a Standard & Poor’s review. He added that the college raised $1.3 million more in cash contributions during the past fundraising year than the previous year.
In his message, Shushok said colleges nationwide continue to face mounting challenges, including declining numbers of traditional college-age students, increasing competition for enrollment, inflation and changing workforce expectations driven in part by artificial intelligence.
As part of efforts to align academic offerings with enrollment trends and market demand, the college completed a comprehensive review of its academic programs during the summer.
Following that review, Roanoke College will sunset its degree programs in health and physical education, French and physics, along with its German studies concentration, at the conclusion of the 2026-27 academic year.
College officials said 29 students are currently enrolled in those majors. Most are expected to graduate in May 2027 before the programs are discontinued, while the remaining students will complete their degrees through teach-out plans.
The program changes will also affect faculty staffing. The contracts of five tenure-track faculty members and three contingent faculty members will not be renewed after the 2026-27 academic year. Shushok said the college will assist those employees as they seek new employment opportunities.
At the same time, the college plans to expand into new academic areas.
During a special meeting on July 21, the Roanoke College Board of Trustees authorized the creation of the School of Health Sciences and Health Innovation. The new school will introduce clinical and allied health programs to the college’s academic offerings.
A national search for the school’s inaugural dean will begin this fall, with additional details about the initiative expected in the coming months.
Shushok also announced that the college has entered into what he described as a confidential agreement that could lead to a partnership to develop the Elizabeth Campus, potentially creating a new revenue source for the institution.
As part of those plans, student housing on the Elizabeth Campus will be relocated to the main campus beginning with the 2027-28 academic year. The college said it will work with fraternities this fall to identify future residential and social space, while noting that the Environment Center and athletic fields on the Elizabeth Campus would not be affected by the proposed partnership.
Shushok said the decisions reflect the college’s effort to remain financially sustainable while investing in programs that meet regional workforce needs and position the institution for future growth.
Courtesy photo
Shushok
***Please don’t make too big.
