With only 11 majors, Towson University’s Women’s and Gender Studies operation still carried a reported budget near $870,000, raising sharp questions about academic priorities and student value.
Story Highlights
- Campus reporting says only 11 undergraduates majored in Women’s and Gender Studies in Fall 2025.
- Outside coverage says the department’s budget rose to about $870,000 for 2024–2025.
- Towson is restructuring the department into a program after low enrollment.
- Maryland budget documents show Towson’s total spending in the hundreds of millions, framing scale.
What Happened: Small Major, Big Number
Local student newspaper The Towerlight reported that Towson University’s Women’s and Gender Studies department had only 11 undergraduate majors registered for Fall 2025. The paper also reported the unit will shift from a stand-alone department to a program starting in Fall 2026, keeping the major and minor but moving it under another field due to low enrollment. Conservative outlets highlighted a separate figure that the department’s budget had climbed to about $870,000 for the 2024–2025 year.
Campus Reform and others have tracked enrollment over several years, noting a drop from earlier counts to the current 11 majors. Their coverage helped fuel attention on the contrast between headcount and spending. Critics see the gap as proof of ideology first and students second. Supporters of such programs often argue the budget supports teaching across general education, minors, and graduate studies, not only majors. Towson maintains listings for both undergraduate and graduate options in this field.
How Towson Frames Its Budget Reality
State budget documents place Towson University’s total expenditures in the range of roughly $651 million for fiscal year 2026. That context shows the school’s financial scale and how any single department’s number sits within a much larger pool of funds. University budget books also run through centralized processes and approval steps. Purchasing thresholds require vice president and chief financial officer oversight, which means major spending does not happen without reviews. These facts do not resolve the value debate but shape how to read any line item.
One reason this debate repeats across campuses is the mix of numbers often used. A department-level “budget” can include salaries, shared staff, and overhead. That figure can also support classes for non-majors and minors. Defenders cite those realities when critics compare raw budget to majors alone. Still, even with these caveats, 11 majors is a very small cohort. Towson’s decision to fold the department into a broader program next year shows the school is reacting to demand and enrollment pressure, even while keeping the major available.
Why This Matters for Families and Taxpayers
Parents face rising tuition and fees while they try to fund degrees that lead to real jobs. When a program has very few majors yet carries a reported six-figure or higher budget, families ask if dollars are serving students first. Conservative readers also see this as part of a trend where identity-based studies expand even as demand fades. Towson’s total spending size, and its budget controls, matter. But students and taxpayers still deserve proof of value for every program dollar.
Outrageous! Towson University Spends $870K on Women’s and Gender Studies Department with Just 11 Majors https://t.co/bvuywq20N2 #gatewaypundit via @gatewaypundit
— PatPeters,PhD. (@PatVPeters) August 2, 2026
Towson’s shift from department to program is a practical test. If the program can share resources, cut overhead, and focus spending where students enroll, that is a win for accountability. If not, expect more pushback. The federal government is not setting these department budgets, but President Trump has pressed schools to deliver value and transparency. State lawmakers and regents also hold keys. Clear reporting, course demand data, and program outcomes should drive what grows and what winds down.
Sources:
thegatewaypundit.com, towson.edu, dls.maryland.gov, thetowerlight.com, 2024mdmanual.msa.maryland.gov
