The University of North Texas has trimmed its projected $45 million budget deficit to approximately $19 million, President Harrison Keller said at a Board of Regents meeting Thursday. Since February, the university has instituted cost-saving measures to address the projected shortfall, which is driven by a steep decline in international enrollment and reduced state funding. By May, the university had reduced the projected deficit to $35 million. The fiscal year runs until the end of August. The university has phased out over 70 programs with low enrollment, including linguistics, ethnic and gender studies, and arts degrees and certificates. It also offered buyouts to 40 faculty members, which officials said could save the school an estimated $4.7 million. Keller also announced plans to move some courses to a hybrid learning model, combining online lectures and small in-person sections, and to realign smaller academic departments with larger divisions or schools. The university also slowed hiring and controlled expenditures in personnel, maintenance, and operations. Click here to read more on this report from our partners at The Dallas Morning News. ...read more read less