Northern State University is eliminating golf, tennis and a student service program in an effort to shift funding to other priorities, officials said.
About 35 students will be affected, said Brenda Dreyer, director of university relations.
The changes are just a few of those announced Thursday.
NSU administrators were required to make changes after encountering budgetary challenges over the years that included rising costs, stagnant amounts of state funding and expanded operations, according to a news release.
Increased health care costs and salary increases approved at the state level affect NSU and its finances, according to the release.
As NSU continues to grow, it needs to reallocate resources to accommodate priorities of recruitment, retention and academic quality, NSU President Jim Smith said in a news release.
Students affected were notified in advance of the announcement.
In golf and tennis, NSU has had trouble meeting roster requirements.
"We just have to find ways to meet the demands of operating a program," NSU Athletic Director Joshua Moon said Thursday. "We have to make some tough decisions."
Students in the two programs receiving athletic aid will still receive it for the next school year if they choose to stay, he said. Those who wish to transfer will be helped.
Women's athletic programs and maintenance of strong athletic rosters will benefit from the change, according to the release. With the changes, NSU will field six men's teams and seven women's teams.
NSU also will no longer offer the Discovery program, which gives support to students who are recovering from substance abuse.
Students in the program will continue to get support services from the NSU Counseling Center, according to the release.
The Discovery program provided a way for students pursuing higher education to boost recovery efforts, according to the Northern website.
Instead, funds used for the Discovery program will be used for American Indian outreach. This is due to a projected increase of minority students, according to the release.
Campus security enhancements, including implementing a key-card access system for certain parts of campus, could also be funded from the elimination, according to the release.
Hiring practices at Northern will also be altered. According to the release, only critically needed positions will be filled.
Some positions will be left unfilled for the time being. That includes associate vice president of academic affairs, which was to be filled this spring, according to a job listing.