Final APPR recommendations shared following community feedback, assessment

Final APPR recommendations shared following community feedback, assessment AcademicsFinal APPR recommendations shared following community feedback, assessment Most preliminary recommendations from spring have been accepted, work underway to prepare for future cycles Published: October 12, 2026 UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – As a follow-up to the release of initial recommendations this spring, and after nearly a year of discussions that spanned Penn State’s academic colleges, final recommendations from the Academic Portfolio and Program Review (APPR) are now available. Following review of community feedback this summer, and in-depth discussion with unit leaders, most of this spring’s preliminary recommendations have been accepted. Over the last year, teams across the University engaged in a review of all of Penn State’s 403 baccalaureate and associate degree programs. The recommendations reflect feedback and input from stakeholders across Penn State's academic enterprise, including deans, chancellors and their teams; faculty, staff and students; University leadership; the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost; the Office of Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research (OPAIR); and Faculty Senate representatives. In final recommendations announced on Oct. 12, 47 are being recommended for closure in the coming years, due to low student demand, combined employment opportunity, program realignment and other factors. Of those programs, nine currently have no enrolled students, and 15 already have submitted formal teach-out proposals and/or enrollment holds, with some overlap. Of the 47 programs listed for closure in the final recommendations, 24 programs would continue to be offered at the University through another college.  Of Penn State’s 68,390 undergraduate students enrolled in spring 2026, a total of 784 are enrolled in programs that are recommended for closure, or about 1.1% of the undergraduate student population. The University will work closely with all students to be sure they can complete their degrees in a timely and supported manner. Aligned with established academic policies, programs that have been recommended for closure will be shared with Faculty Senate for review before decisions are finalized by Executive Vice President and Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos, and program-specific teach-out plans will be developed and carried out over the coming semesters. Learn More: Visit this link to review final recommendations, learn more about APPR at Penn State, and find answers to frequently asked questions. “Throughout this process, driving success for our current and future students has been the focus,” Sotiropoulos said. “Portfolio and program reviews are a healthy practice common across higher education. They help us to continually ask – in a strategic and data-informed way – whether we are meeting and exceeding the needs of our students and their future employers, and how we can best retain and deploy our world-class faculty talent to meet our land-grant mission. “I am grateful to all who have helped to get us to this point. Regular program reviews will help us to be nimble and responsive as the world continues to change, and as we continue to face the reality of changing demographics, stagnant state support for our students, and rising costs. This is the latest step in what will be an ongoing cycle of intentional self-evaluation, with our colleges in the lead and in partnership with me and my team.” An updated timeline for reviews Preliminary recommendations delivered this spring categorized some programs for review, on a three-to-five-year timeline. After careful consideration, Sotiropoulos said, these initial reviews identified through APPR will take place in the next year. These evaluations will focus on the development of action plans and descriptions of actions taken thus far to increase enrollments to sustainable levels, and must demonstrate progress toward implementation of those plans. Details on the timing and format for submissions will be shared this fall. The future of academic program and portfolio evaluations By laying the groundwork for data-driven assessments, APPR has set Penn State on a path toward long-term, strategic, and student-focused portfolio and program evaluations. The processes for establishing a regular review cycle are under development and will be shared as details are finalized.   Final recommendations, as well as answers to frequently asked questions and additional information on the APPR process, are available on the APPR website. Last Updated October 12, 2026 Get the news by email Subscribe