EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated on July 11, 2025, to clarify the legislation.

Indiana University is taking steps to comply with Indiana Code 21-18-9-10.5, which the Indiana General Assembly amended in the 2025-27 state budget.

The new law requires that state educational institutions request approval from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to continue programs that graduate fewer students than statutory thresholds. If ICHE does not grant approval for those programs, the institution must eliminate the degree program.

In anticipation of the law’s enforcement, IU campus leadership collaborated with deans and unit administrators to develop voluntary actions for programs that fall below minimum thresholds. These actions fall into one of the following categories as identified by ICHE:

• Elimination— Programs may be eliminated if they do not currently have students enrolled.
• Suspend with Teach-Out toward Elimination— Under this category, programs will not be eliminated until currently enrolled students complete their studies.
• Suspend with Teach-Out toward Elimination with written commitment to Merge/Consolidate the Program before AY26-27 — Students in affected programs will have two options: complete their current degree program or pursue a degree under a merged program. Programs may be merged with other degree programs into a new, consolidated program or merged into a preexisting degree program. Under this category, subjects will continue to be taught as part of a different degree program.

IU will also request approval to continue specific degree programs pending further ICHE guidance about the continuation request process.

Degree programs that are currently enrolled under the minimum threshold will maintain normal operations through academic year 2025-26.

Campus leaders are working with deans to engage directly with affected faculty, staff and students to ensure they understand that they can continue to pursue their current course of study or complete their studies under a different, merged, or consolidated degree program.

Additional information on options for programs that fall below minimum thresholds can be found in an FAQ from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education.