Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on October 22, 2025
BOISE, ID – A permanent state budget cut will force the University of Idaho to cut 28 “essential” positions.
The reductions — in staff and faculty jobs — will lead to larger class sizes, less individualized learning time and fewer research opportunities for undergrads.
“This directly harms our students by negatively impacting student learning outcomes, retention rates and graduation timelines,” the U of I said in a revised budget request, released by the state late last week. “Our students will face increased financial pressures and be less prepared to join Idaho’s workforce.”
Facing $13.3 million in permanent budget cuts, several of Idaho’s state-run colleges and universities are planning — or considering — staff reductions.
The downsizing began to unfold on Aug. 15, when Gov. Brad Little announced a 3% holdback, a midyear budget cut, affecting most of state government. Little spared K-12 from the cuts, but not higher ed.
On Sept. 18, Little made the 3% cuts permanent — requiring state agencies, including the colleges and universities, to turn in new budget requests for 2026-27.
Those new requests were due Oct. 3. Little’s Division of Financial Management made them public Friday.
The U of I will be forced to cut $3.4 million permanently, including $3.1 million in personnel costs. While the U of I hasn’t settled on an exact mix of the job cuts, it says the loss of faculty positions will “slow down or stop” some ongoing research, while staff cuts will leave the U of I at increased risk to cybersecurity threats.
The ongoing cuts, at the U of I and elsewhere, are effective July 1.
Here’s how much the state’s other colleges and universities will need to cut — and how they plan to go about it.
Boise State University ($4 million). Between the budget cuts, rising benefit costs and state-mandated pay raises, a tuition increase “will be necessary,” Boise State says. The university will reassign workload and cut “some” positions, but the university didn’t go into specifics. Boise State will cut about $2.3 million in personnel costs; the rest of the savings will come from operations.
Idaho State University ($3.1 million). “To absorb the cut, ISU will reorganize and consolidate, eliminate programs and services, and reduce our employee workforce,” the university said in its new budget request. Like Boise State, Idaho State offered no specifics on staff cuts. But most of Idaho State’s budget cuts, $2.6 million, will come from personnel costs.
Lewis-Clark State College ($722,000). LC State will absorb the entire cut on the personnel side of the ledger — reducing funding for adjunct faculty, cutting two full-time positions and shifting around unspent money for pay raises.
College of Western Idaho ($681,000). Administrators and trustees are working on a budget-cutting plan for Idaho’s largest two-year school. CWI says its plan “may include supplanting lost state funds with tuition and fee adjustments or other revenue opportunities, targeted reductions, program assessments, pausing hiring for unfilled positions or other budget actions.”
College of Southern Idaho ($636,000). CSI will cut four positions — staff positions in payroll, enrollment and human resources and one faculty job. CSI will also scale back an IT infrastructure project.
North Idaho College ($486,000). NIC will keep three “student-facing support positions” vacant, while also cutting back on tuition waivers and a collaborative education center.
College of Eastern Idaho ($250,000). CEI will get all of its cuts from personnel — including a restructuring of its finance division, the “non-hire” of three instructors and a temporary hiring freeze.
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