Colleges wary of new degree-reducing legislation

A push by Indiana state legislators to restructure degree programs at Hoosier colleges passed last month, and Wayne County’s various institutions of higher education could be impacted. Authored by Sen. Jeff Raatz, Republican of Richmond, Indiana Senate Bill 199 was signed in to law by Gov. Braun in March. It forces the state to consider removing or consolidating degree programs that lead to low-salary earning employment for graduates. A list of affected degree programs will be finalized by 2027. They tentatively include associate, bachelor, master and undergraduate certificate programs at several institutions, including Ivy Tech Community College and Indiana University-Bloomington, as reported by Chalkbeat Feb. 12. Ivy Tech officials say they are watching the situation carefully. “We are continuing to review the legislation, but do not anticipate any impacts to our offerings at the Richmond campus,” said Mary Jane Michalak, Ivy Tech’s senior vice president of legal and public affairs. “Ivy Tech is continuously evaluating how to best align all programs with workforce demands, and ensure our students are ready for the next step in their educational journey.” The Richmond campus of Ivy Tech Community College served more than 4,300 students this school year, including high school students from a five-county area: Fayette, Randolph, Rush, Union, and Wayne. There are more than 40 programs on the Richmond campus including agriculture, automotive, business, healthcare, nursing, industrial technology, information technology, and many more. WWN asked Indiana University for comment and did not receive a response as of press time. Share this: A version of this article appeared in the April 8 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News. Read More Lorin Williams Lorin Williams is a reporter for the Western Wayne News. More by Lorin Williams