The University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University could work together and with other institutions to offer certain classes, including some foreign languages, following a state-mandated review of courses with low enrollment.

A provision in last summer’s state budget required Ohio’s public colleges and universities to evaluate courses and programs, pinpoint those with low enrollments, and consider teaming up with other institutions to teach those courses.

Reports must be sent to the chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education by Jan. 31.

UT’s review, a project described by interim Provost John Barrett as a “Herculean effort,” found that 491 of 3,357 courses offered over the last four semesters met the state’s low-enrollment threshold.

Of those, officials identified 109 courses in subjects such as foreign language, geology, and math education where the university could potentially work with another school.

Mr. Barrett said many students take lower-level foreign language courses, but enrollment in upper-level classes lags. Courses in Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, French, German, and Latin could be offered with another institution.

“Our ability to teach Arabic is ripe for collaboration,” said Peg Traband, UT’s senior vice provost for academic affairs. “Especially with the population of students that we have on campus.”

BGSU officials found low enrollments in about 480 of 2,885 courses. Of those, courses in foreign languages and educational psychology could provide sharing opportunities.

UT’s close proximity makes it a logical potential partner, and the two schools have joint programs, such as nursing.

Student interest in certain foreign languages fluctuates depending on where companies are hiring and current events, BGSU Provost Rodney Rogers said.

The state does not require universities to drop or share courses with low enrollment, but suggested such steps to cut costs, according to Department of Higher Education spokesman Jeff Robinson.

It’s one of several ways legislators have asked public universities and colleges to find savings. The state budget also required schools to submit plans last fall to show in-state students how to slice tuition bills by 5 percent.

UT and BGSU officials said it’s difficult to know how long it might take to hammer out details of potential course-sharing. Estimates varied from offering a few test courses together next year to taking a couple years to sort out approvals and align programs.

What constitutes a low-enrolled course differs by university and by course level and type. The state told universities to include in their low-enrollment counts courses with an enrollment less than 20 percent greater than the institution’s threshold over two or more semesters. (For example: BGSU’s enrollment threshold for a 1000-level undergraduate course is 20 students, while the chancellor’s formula raises the threshold to 24 students per course.)

Of the nearly 500 UT courses that met the state’s definition, university officials consider 196 to be appropriately sized. Those include courses limited by the number of stations in a laboratory or intensive writing classes that require professors to give more feedback.

Officials also found 9 courses that could be eliminated, including upper-division courses in communications, political science, and performing arts. They identified 177 courses where the university could reduce the number of sections offered, trim the number of terms a course is taught, or incorporate online learning.

At BGSU, officials concluded about 37 percent of its 480 low-enrolled courses are of sufficient size. For about 100 low-enrolled courses, they’ll consider either consolidating the number of sections offered or offering the course less frequently.

Roughly 150 courses will be reviewed for possible elimination or to see if they can be combined with another course covering similar content, Mr. Rogers said. Some include astronomy electives and courses in philosophy and management information systems.

Eliminating courses could lead to a reduction in adjunct or part-time faculty at both schools, though officials said it’s too early to provide specific numbers.

Owens Community College officials won’t comment on its low-enrollment report until it has been “officially submitted,” according to spokesman Jared Meade.

Contact Vanessa McCray at: vmccray@theblade.com or 419-724-6065, or on Twitter @vanmccray.

First Published January 25, 2016, 5:00 a.m.