#highereducation

If I worked there I'd be angry at how many top admins make twice the salary of similar admins at other regional colleges. No way should they be doing layoffs of lower paid staff when they have 8 people making $200K-300K at a college of only 1600 students.

Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences is restructuring its staff. This plan includes eliminating three high-level administrative dean positions. These roles oversee finance and information technology across divisions. The layoffs are part of an effort to address a $365 million structural deficit. Affected administrators have worked at Harvard for decades.

Cambridge, Massachusetts

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2026/6/2/ads-laid-off-fas/

Algoma University is eliminating 86 support staff positions. This represents about 40 percent of its support staff bargaining unit. The university projects a $16.45 million operating deficit by 2026-27. This deficit is driven by an anticipated decline in enrolment. A provincial teachers' union condemns these layoffs, citing chronic underfunding.

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

https://www.timminstoday.com/local-news/union-condemns-algoma-university-layoffs-12356660

Indiana University's Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering eliminated six positions. The dean announced this restructuring in an email. This change aims to align resources with evolving university needs. Indiana University officials did not comment on these specific layoffs. This follows earlier job cuts at IU's Information Technology Services and WFIU/WTIU.

Bloomington, Indiana

https://www.ipm.org/news/2026-05-29/luddy-school-adds-to-ius-layoffs-eliminating-six-positions

Many public universities are implementing significant budget cuts. These actions include hiring freezes, layoffs, and structural changes. Universities face declining enrollment, reduced state funding, and rising costs. Several institutions, including the University of Oregon and Portland State, announced staff reductions. Oakland City University suspended all undergraduate programs and laid off 167 employees.

https://universitybusiness.com/cuts-and-hiring-freezes-spread-as-spring-semester-closes/

Baylor University has begun staff layoffs following a February announcement. The university plans to implement $35 million in budget cuts over two years. At least 40 employees have received pink slips, including eight in the College of Arts and Sciences. These reductions are part of a broader response to higher education challenges. The university also reduced its contribution to the faculty retirement plan.

Waco, TX

https://wacotrib.com/news/local/education/article_6f3f0085-bf69-402d-9fcd-7d7613f1ee50.html

Colleges across the United States announced hundreds of layoffs and buyouts in April. Budget deficits, state funding reductions, and enrollment losses drove these decisions. Hampshire College and Anna Maria College are closing and laying off hundreds of employees. The University of Maryland and University of Wisconsin also plan significant job reductions. Syracuse University and East Carolina University are eliminating programs and offering faculty buyouts.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/business/cost-cutting/2026/05/04/college-closures-contributed-deep-cuts-april

Stockton University has initiated a voluntary buyout program for employees. Professors and select managerial staff are currently eligible for the offer. This move aims to curb expenses and ensure the university's financial stability. The institution faces challenges including declining enrollment and proposed state aid reductions. Staffing costs account for 61% of Stockton's annual budget.

New Jersey

https://www.nj.com/atlantic/2026/05/nj-university-rolls-out-staff-buyouts-amid-lower-enrollment-proposed-aid-cut.html

Colleges nationwide announced hundreds of layoffs and buyouts in April. Many institutions face budget deficits and funding challenges. Hampshire College and Anna Maria College are closing, leading to significant job losses. Other universities like Maryland and Wisconsin also plan job reductions. These cuts stem from state funding reductions, enrollment declines, and program reviews.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/business/cost-cutting/2026/05/04/college-closures-contributed-deep-cuts-april

Hampshire College faculty and staff are establishing an emergency relief fund. Most of the college's 250 employees will be laid off on June 16. The college is permanently ceasing its academic operations. Employees are unlikely to receive severance pay from the institution. The fund will provide direct financial support for essential expenses.

Amherst, Massachusetts

https://recorder.com/2026/04/23/with-layoffs-approaching-hampshire-college-workers-launch-relief-fund/

HACC approved a $128 million operating budget for 2026-27. This budget includes cutting 87 current employee jobs and two faculty positions. Additionally, 41 vacant positions will be eliminated. Other cost-saving measures involve phasing out some academic programs. The college stated these difficult decisions were necessary.

Pennsylvania

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/hacc-to-lay-off-87-staffers-2-faculty-and-cut-41-positions-as-part-of/article_318aaa66-4dc0-4d9c-91ee-68da9ee9fb52.html

Oakland City University employees met with the Department of Workforce Development Rapid response team. This meeting followed a WARN notice filed earlier in April. WARN notices indicate a possibility of mass layoffs for employers with over 100 staff. OCU faces financial challenges but has not decided on layoffs. The university plans to sell a patent in early May.

Evansville, Indiana

https://www.14news.com/2026/04/23/government-officials-meet-with-ocu-employees-after-potential-mass-layoff-warning/

SAIT is cutting 30 permanent faculty positions in 2026. The institution faces serious financial challenges. These include a decline in international student enrollment and a provincially-implemented tuition cap. For non-unionized employees, a layoff is typically considered a permanent termination. Affected staff may be owed significant severance pay based on common law entitlements.

https://stlawyers.ca/blog-news/sait-layoffs-severance-pay/

Keene State College eliminated about two dozen staff positions. This action responds to state budget cuts for the university system. Twenty-five staff positions were cut, including eight that were vacant. Faculty positions are also being reduced through voluntary retirement packages. The college aims to align resources with priorities while preserving student experience.

Keene, NH

https://www.keenesentinel.com/news/local/keene-state-college-layoffs-cuts-staff-faculty-keene-nh/article_aab7851a-43da-4925-b8f0-ef6e68cc3a0b.html

The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) recently laid off 45 faculty and staff members. This decision was made to address a $20 million deficit for the 2026/27 fiscal year. The deficit is primarily attributed to federal government caps on international student enrollment. The layoffs include six teaching faculty, four non-teaching faculty, and 35 staff positions. Despite these reductions and other measures, UFV still faces a $2.4 million deficit and is exploring land development for future revenue.

https://abbynews.com/2026/03/20/layoffs-hit-university-of-the-fraser-valley-amid-20-million-deficit/

Keene State College recently eliminated 25 staff positions. Eight of these positions were already vacant. These cuts are a direct response to an $18 million reduction in state funding. The college must address a $4 million deficit by fiscal year 2027. Faculty positions are also being reduced through voluntary separation packages.

https://www.keenesentinel.com/news/local/keene-state-college-layoffs-cuts-staff-faculty-keene-nh/article_aab7851a-43da-4925-b8f0-ef6e68cc3a0b.html

I'm new to this site. I feel like i havent seen many comments from people in PVS under Tom Ap Simon. He was 100% in charge when I came on in 2020. In 2022, they hired a lady to take over PVS so Tom could focus on higher education. This lady was way more personable and professional than Tom in my opinion. She obviously had a vision, and part of that was to create a new department. She hired a black woman for that department who was very qualified based on previous work experience. Not even 2ish years into the role, this competent PVS leader departed. They did not replace her. They said Tommy boy would absorb and handle both Higher Ed and PVS. A few months after our original PVS VP left, our smaller dept head left abruptly. They did not replace her either and instead shoved our department into another that make 0 sense for half of the employees there.

PVS has a goal to increase enrollment by almost 50%. That is an insane metric and didn't even happen during Covid. On top of that, they so far have hired literally no one on the school facing side of things to support these schools/students. I thing they are eventually going to just sell PVS because it's obvious the powers that be don't understand the actual work that's needed to make this business line successful.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic continues to experience job cuts. The institution has laid off 151 employees across 2025 and 2026. Recently, 23 full-time and part-time positions were eliminated. The health information management program is also suspended for 2026-27. The Official Opposition urges the Provincial Government to stop further layoffs.

https://www.cjwwradio.com/2026/03/04/242926/

Why are they really closing it for good? I'm a UCB grad and always thought FPF was a great program. I'm also shocked they'd let go of some truly great lecturers.

About 160 workers at the University of Wyoming may face layoffs if the current draft of the state’s two-year budget becomes law, according to a provost.

https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/politics-government/2026-02-02/roughly-160-uw-employees-could-lose-their-jobs-if-proposed-budget-passes-provost-says

Idaho State University is laying off 45 employees. This action addresses an $8 million budget deficit. The College of Education will merge into a new humanities college. Biology department disciplines are also being reorganized. These changes aim to achieve significant cost savings.

https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/45-layoffs-as-isu-axes-college-of-education-splits-biology-department-in-mass-restructuring/article_11660917-46c1-4ff9-b34c-b1c942eb4910.html

The College of Wooster is struggling financially so badly from low enrollment year over year, today 2-5-2026 they are doing a massive reduction in work force - up to 50 positions

A merger between NJCU and Kean University is underway. This transition has caused initial job reductions at NJCU. Some staff members were issued pink slips. The exact count of affected individuals remains unstated. Officials from both universities declined to provide specifics.

https://jcitytimes.com/njcu-kean-merger-yields-first-layoffs-officials-mum-on-details/

I am a former trustee and graduate of Johnson & Wales University (class of 1973). I served as a trustee for over seven years and during that time worked to be a proper fiduciary of the university. I applaud your June 23 article “The Rise and Fall of Johnson & Wales University.” The article fully captures my personal frustration with university leadership, most significantly Chancellor Mim L. Runey.

As a first-generation college graduate, I also established an endowed scholarship in my family’s name to benefit students coming from a background similar to mine, who are looking to get into a finance/business-professional role.

When I resigned my role as trustee and chair of the academic subcommittee a couple months ago, it came as a result of frustration not only about moving the academic needle and managing my endowed scholarship but about the loss of over 30 established academic leaders over the years. These leaders were not included in the recent staff/faculty terminations mentioned. These academic leaders were brought in to build and develop key programs not part of Culinary. Most lasted a year or more and then suddenly were no longer part of the university.

The root of the problem at Johnson & Wales is Chancellor Runey. People are afraid to challenge her for fear of retaliation and dismissal. Her friends thrive, but many are just afraid to challenge and speak up for fear of being ostracized. Many of these people have gone on to other colleges and universities to build very innovative programs. Just look at the recent promotion of Joe Greene to president. I have great respect for Joe in his financial leadership. But for Joe, JWU would have collapsed years ago. My point is that the university at the board’s direction should have used the opportunity to build an effective bench with some new talent who could possibly serve as a replacement for Chancellor Runey. The time for fresh talent and ideas is now.

It is a shame that proud graduates, like myself, are watching the collapse of what was a fine institution. The university led culinary arts for many years, only to then fall to a distant second or further behind the Culinary Institute of America and to two-year institutions popping up all over the country. They lost their way and bet it all on one-dimensional education, favoring Culinary and Hospitality. They have all but abandoned the very foundation of their business, education.

This is my first external outreach. I have written several letters expressing these issues to the board chair and vice chair but receive little if any response.

Thank you for caring enough to write this piece. We all hope that the university can find its way, but each day I become less and less certain they will without bold moves.

• Philip Renaud, Johnson & Wales University, Class of 1973

https://www.highereducationinquirer.org/2025/12/hei-investigation-fafsa-financial-aid.html

Johnson & Wales Makes List of 44 schools on the brink of closing. More mass layoffs coming.

https://www.educationnext.org/the-financial-risk-of-declining-enrollment-to-midsize-colleges-analysis-private-institutions-new-england/

President Donald Trump's administration had cut off $790 million in grants in a standoff that contributed to university layoffs and the resignation in September of Northwestern president Michael Schill.

https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2025-11-29/northwestern-to-pay-75-million-in-deal-with-trump-administration-to-restore-federal-funding

Is anyone left? #robocollege

https://www.investing.com/news/transcripts/earnings-call-transcript-phoenix-education-partners-reports-q4-2025-growth-stock-dips-93CH-4371849

Profits Over People

https://www.investing.com/news/transcripts/earnings-call-transcript-phoenix-education-partners-reports-q4-2025-growth-stock-dips-93CH-4371849

The University of Central Florida laid off 57 employees at a renewable energy research center in Brevard County last week after the Trump administration cut federal grants that helped support it.

The state’s largest public university also recently laid off six people in its technology department and two at the UCF Arboretum, though those were not tied to the loss of federal funding.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/11/21/ucf-lays-off-65-employees-most-tied-to-shifting-federal-priorities-school-says/

The college is eliminating 25 staff positions — eight of which are vacant, according to college spokesperson Paul Miller.

https://www.keenesentinel.com/news/local/keene-state-college-layoffs-faculty-staff-budget-cuts-nh/article_95fb4654-0217-42c9-b70b-576e328faad9.html

On 10/23/25 approximately 5% of Marymount’s staff were laid off. Reduced federal grants, reduced international students, and reduced graduate enrollment were cited. Anecdotal evidence suggests the actual percentage of cut staff was higher. Staff across all support areas, including finance, the library, research, HR and student support were all eliminated to help close the budget.

The University of Southern California has issued layoff notices to more than 900 employees since July amid a fiscal crisis that has battered morale and strained resources.

The cuts, detailed in a Monday letter to the USC community by interim President Beong-Soo Kim, are central to an effort to erase a budget deficit that ballooned to more than $200 million. The layoffs have included employees across the university and its health system, including student academic advisers.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/usc-more-900-employees-laid-004014828.html

Higher Education Inquirer : When Was Higher Education Truly a Public Good? (Glen McGhee) https://share.google/lNeAzv5hdLtA1M5a5

Higher Education Inquirer : When Was Higher Education Truly a Public Good? (Glen McGhee) https://share.google/PIXN0IS46fsIbmcoF

https://www.highereducationinquirer.org/2025/10/borrowers-against-apollo-event-friday.html

Today, October 29, 2025, Xavier announced firings from departments that uphold the mission of the school. From the Office of Social Justice to CAMPUS MINISTRY, people were let go due to budget cuts, yet racist, mean spirited professors are still here. How can you claim to prepare students to mold a more just and humane society when you're firing the people who help to form students into these leaders. We deserve better.

https://www.highereducationinquirer.org/2025/10/borrowers-against-apollo-event-friday.html

The University of Northern Colorado plans to lay off about 50 staff members in early November and eliminate roughly 30 vacant roles, CFO Dale Pratt said during a town hall last week.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/university-of-northern-colorado-plans-to-lay-off-50-employees/803556/

Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz said Wednesday morning that nearly a hundred support staff, faculty and academic staff and executive management were laid off as a result of university-wide budget cuts.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2025/10/22/michigan-state-msu-number-jobs-eliminated-university-cuts-president-guskiewicz/86833813007/