Colorado State University Pueblo will suspend new admissions to its physics major and minor starting Fall 2026, while allowing current physics students to complete their degrees and continuing physics courses required by other programs. Provost Gail Mackin cited low enrollment and an effort to reallocate resources to programs with stronger student demand and regional job-market alignment. Faculty members expressed surprise and concern, and national Data USA figures show physics degrees remain significant even as numbers shift slightly.
CSU Pueblo To Pause Physics Major And Minor Starting Fall 2026 As Enrollment Falls
Colorado State University Pueblo will stop accepting new students into its physics major and minor beginning in Fall 2026, the university confirmed. The pause applies only to formally declaring the physics major or minor; current physics majors and minors will be allowed to finish their degrees, and physics-related general-education courses that support programs such as chemistry, engineering and health sciences will continue to be offered.
University Statement
Provost Gail Mackin explained the decision in a written statement shared with The Chieftain, noting that the university must prioritize programs with the greatest student demand and strongest links to regional job markets. "As someone who studied physics myself, I understand what students and faculty are losing," Mackin wrote. "Physics teaches problem-solving and analytical thinking across fields. Our responsibility is to direct funding where it serves the most students effectively."
Reasons Cited
University leaders pointed to regional enrollment trends as the primary factor. Mackin said CSU Pueblo last graduated a physics major in 2022 and that resources will be redirected to programs demonstrating clearer growth and workforce alignment.
Faculty And Community Reaction
Daviel Leyva Cruz, an adjunct professor and former lecturer in the Department of Mathematics and Physics, described the announcement as "a step back for Pueblo" and said he was surprised by the move. In an interview with The Chieftain, Leyva Cruz urged community members to express their views if they oppose the pause and emphasized physics' broad value to other fields and majors.
"If we look at many institutions across the country, almost all of them have a physics program," Leyva Cruz said. "It is kind of hard to find a university without a physics program."
National Context
National data provide context for the local decision. According to Data USA, more than 13,300 physics degrees were awarded in the United States in 2023 — a roughly 1.05% decline from 2022 — while the number of physics degree holders employed in the workforce rose by about 2.1% over the same period. Average wages for physics degree recipients trended up about 3%, and among roughly 1.2 million physics degree holders in the workforce, the average 2023 salary was $129,236.
What’s Next
CSU Pueblo has not specified whether the pause will be temporary or what benchmarks would trigger reinstatement of the major and minor. The university says the decision is a data-driven reallocation of limited funding to programs with broader student impact and clearer regional workforce demand. Community members and department stakeholders now face a window to provide feedback before changes take effect.
Reporter: James Bartolo, The Pueblo Chieftain. For more information or to provide feedback, contact the university or the campus provost's office.
