YOUNGSTOWN — A memo that Youngstown State University is looking at reducing or closing 11 departments shouldn’t be interpreted as what YSU plans, Brien N. Smith, provost and vice president for academic affairs, said Tuesday evening.

He was clarifying a letter he sent Monday to faculty of ideas YSU had to cut costs as student enrollment declines.

“In the memo to faculty yesterday (Monday), a list of 11 departments was included to highlight areas where changes to programs are anticipated or where programs may be overstaffed. This list does not necessarily indicate entire departments, programs or majors will be impacted,” Smith said.

“However, if a decision is made to terminate a major, YSU has a commitment to all of its students to provide them with the opportunity to graduate with the courses needed to be successful in their chosen field.”

The departments listed for possible “retrenchment and / or nonrenewal” were the Department of Accounting and Finance; Department of Art; Department of Communication; Department of Criminal Justice and Consumer Sciences; Dana School of Music and Theatre; Department of English & World Languages; Department of Health Professions; Department of Humanities and Social Sciences; Department of Mathematics and Statistics; Department of Physics, Astronomy, Geology and Environmental Science; and Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies.

According to the Monday memo, enrollment for the fall semester is down by 4 percent in full-time students. The letter states YSU is looking at the university’s sustainability by looking at enrollment and enrollment trends, “which is not encouraging.”

Last year, YSU discontinued 26 programs at the university.

“It is imperative that we continue to contain costs, reduce low-demand academic programs, invest in programs with growth potential and expand initiatives that foster student success,” Smith states.

The letter states a number of initiatives to attract more students such as online graduate programs, and progress in student success was made with retention approaching 80 percent and graduation rates nearing 50 percent.

Associate Provost Jen Pintar, academic deans and department chairpersons reduced the number of under-enrolled course offerings this fall which resulted in several hundred thousand dollars in savings.

In his clarification Tuesday, Smith wrote, “It has come to my attention that there is some uncertainty for students across campus in regards to a memo sent to the faculty yesterday. I wanted to take this opportunity to provide some clarity on this information.

“The YSU administration has been working with the faculty union to provide an opportunity for its faculty to receive an incentive to retire or separate from the university,” he wrote.

But if a major or department does cease, current students will still be safe, according to the letter.