Snow prepares for possible budget cut

EPHRAIM—When the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee analyst called the president of Snow College, Stacee McIff, on Jan. 22 to discuss a potential 5% budget reduction for higher education, the college began to prepare a proposal for what they would do if the reduction is approved.
The potential cut would mark the third consecutive year of budget adjustments at Utah’s oldest two-year institution, but McIff says that the college, like always, will find ways to adapt.
In an interview Tuesday, Utah Sen. Derrin Owens said while the 5% applies to all colleges and universities, the Legislature understands that Snow College, the smallest state school, operates on a tighter budget than, say, the University of Utah.
“We’ll certainly be conscious of that and work with her (McIff),” he said. “It’s possible she won’t get cut a dollar.”
The proposed 5% cut follows a 10% reduction and reallocation last year and a 1.5% cut the year before. Following the March 2025 legislative session, Snow reallocated nearly $1.67 million within its approximately $62 million fiscal year budget.
In fact, the college had its reallocation plan ready by May 2025, two months after the end of the session, after navigating multiple approval processes.
“We feel good about how we managed the ‘25 10% reallocation requirement,” McIff said in a recent interview. “We were fortunate to be in a position to offer early retirement options. No one involuntarily retired.”
To manage the cuts, the college offered voluntary pay-out options and negotiated individually with faculty and staff approaching retirement. McIff estimated about 20 employees chose early retirement. By working directly with the individuals, the college realized the necessary savings.
Some programs did not survive the cuts. The college discontinued its French and Italian programs, though some classes are still offered. The student newspaper and student radio station were eliminated, with the newspaper transitioning to an online publication. A general education foundations program, as well as service learning (where students get credit for volunteer work) and weekly convocations were also eliminated.
Under legislative guidelines, cuts could be made in most areas except technical education, but reallocated funds could only be moved within instruction categories. According to college materials, the proposed reallocation directs 95% of funds to instruction (classes) and 5% to academic support (services to improve the overall college experience).
Examples of such efforts over recent years include the establishment of a Student Success Center and a localized tutoring service in the library. In fact, the reallocation enabled the college to staff the tutoring center with a full-time employee.
Despite fall 2025 headcount being up 0.3% this year compared to the previous year, Snow College faces enrollment challenges that are prompting a strategic pivot.
The November 2025 announcement from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lowering the missionary age for women to 18 is already affecting enrollment. McIff said. Anecdotally, about 30 female students requested deferments (temporary leaves of absence from college) in a single day following the announcement.
“Snow has been talking with the LDS Commissioner of Education to share data,” McIff explained. “Their modeling shows the effects won’t be as significant as feared, but we have already noticed the impact for spring semester and will certainly feel it by Fall 2026.”
In response, the college is looking for ways to boost enrollment beyond the backbone of traditional high school graduate enrollment. It is developing a strategy that emphasizes online offerings, continuing education and community skill-building programs. The goal is to help community members develop skills to take better care of their families.
“We are focused on bringing the community in and exploring new learner populations,” McIff said. “Locals are part of this vision.”
McIff noted that the Utah State Board of Higher Education emphasizes clear roles and missions for institutions and discourages schools from trying to be “everything to everyone.”
She acknowledged that enrollment pressures drive institutions to expand programs to try anything to attract students, but said Snow is focusing on the tactics that align with the college’s mission and values.
Cody Branch, vice president of student affairs and enrollment management, and President McIff are personally visiting high schools in the Six-County Area to invite seniors to consider Snow College. In conjunction with this invitation, Snow is guaranteeing a scholarship to any student who does not have any other source of financial aid. The message to students, McIff said, is simple: “There is a place for you here at Snow College.”
Despite financial challenges and general push back from the State Board on new degrees, the school is pursuing an ambitious new program: a bachelor’s degree in rural entrepreneurship that would require only 90 credits instead of the traditional 120, making it achievable in three years rather than four.
The program became possible after the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities approved 90-credit bachelor’s degrees. Rather than the familiar bachelor of science (BS) and bachelor of arts (BA), the degree is designated as a “bachelor of applied practice.”
When Snow surveyed students about staying for longer programs, the response was enthusiastic. “I’d stay in a heartbeat,” was the common response from students, according to McIff.
Because Snow College is traditionally a two-year institution, the proposal requires an out-of-mission request. The Business Division has discussed the concept for several years. It put together a proposal for the college’s Curriculum Committee. The college plans to use reallocation funding to support the program if approved.
“Rural Utah thrives on entrepreneurship,” McIff said fondly. “The community knows entrepreneurship firsthand.” The degree will require an internship with an entrepreneur in the type of business the student wants to pursue.
“Face-to-face instruction can’t be replicated. Nobody else can do what we’ve set out to do.”
All out-of-mission proposals must be submitted to all institutions in the Utah system for comment. Most schools have been supportive of the Rural Entrepreneurship program, McIff says. The proposal is now moving through the office of the Commissioner of Higher Education before going to the state board. If approved, the program could begin in Fall 2027.
The college is developing other programs that fit within its mission including a radiology technician associate degree planned for the Ephraim and eventually the Richfield campuses; a two-year associate degree in architecture; and two-year programs preparing students to be respiratory therapists and behavioral health technicians.
Potential vocational-technical programs include equine therapy, meat services, commercial driver’s license, electrical apprenticeship and phlebotomy.
McIff points to student outcomes as evidence that Snow College’s approach works. Between 80 and 90 percent of Snow students either graduate from the college or successfully transfer.
For the sixth time, the college has been nominated for the Aspen Prize, a national award for two-year colleges. The recognition places Snow among the top 200 colleges in the nation, out of approximately 1,500 two-year schools, for student success.
Significantly, students who graduate from Snow and transfer to Utah universities average a 27% higher graduation rat than students who started at those universities.
Recent metrics show a 4% increase in annual enrollment, a 6% increase in general retention, a 12% increase in freshman retention, and a 17% increase in completion rates. Prison education enrollment has increased by 105%.
The college serves a distinct population: 84% of students come from Utah, 77% receive financial aid, 72% are low-income, 44% are first-generation college students, and 60% come from rural Utah. One-third of students come from the Six-County service area. Snow maintains the lowest tuition in Utah.
Despite some challenges, Snow’s current size serves it well, McIff says. The philosophy is to grow incrementally in ways that align with the college’s identity.
“We want students to come here and go on to succeed,” McIff explained. “This is the best place to build a foundation. We need people to trust Snow. Our commitment is we will take care of [the students] and give them the tools and experiences to help them be successful.”
In the 2026 legislative session, Snow is requesting performance funding, including $75,000 for public safety enhancements, $50,000 for student success retention tools and $93,800 for TechConnect Access.
The college is also part of a joint general education request with Salt Lake Community College for $925,000 to transition general education from a content-based model to a skills-based approach focusing on critical thinking, information literacy, teamwork and problem solving.
Asked how she manages the pressures of leading the college through uncertain times, McIff was candid: “I worry every day due to the nature of the job.” But, as she shared during a recent presentation with state legislators, “While there are certainly challenges for us, we are optimistic about the future, about expanded offerings for our rural communities, alignment with Utah’s workforce needs, win-win partnerships with our Utah System of Higher Education and K12 colleagues, and our constant desire to delight our customers—our students—and give them a personalized experience they won’t find anywhere else.”
After rounding out her presentation with data and anecdotes about student experiences, McIff concluded with the college’s new marketing slogan: “What I’ve shared should indicate to all of you that there really is “No Place Like Snow.”
As Marci Larsen, chief of staff for the college emphasizes, “Snow College is going to celebrate our 140th anniversary in 2028. This pushes us to remember how blessed we are. We will continue to focus on our goals, driven by a very optimistic vision, community support and strong leadership.”
Between now and 2028, she said, the college will strive to operationalize its newly updated mission statement: “Empowering each student with a personalized path to success through comprehensive education, advanced technical training and the confidence to create a thriving future.”