❓WHAT HAPPENED: Brown University announced it will lay off 48 employees and eliminate 55 unfilled positions as part of a $15 million cost reduction effort.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Brown University, its academic and administrative departments, and former student Alex Shieh.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced Monday, measures will impact departments across the university’s campus in Providence, Rhode Island.
💬KEY QUOTE: “In recent years, Ivy League colleges have morphed into a bloated ‘educational industrial complex’ run by self-dealing administrators who charge families record tuition and divert the money to layers of staff that add little to the classroom.” – Alex Shieh
🎯IMPACT: The layoffs and budget cuts aim to address a $30 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2026, while sparking broader conversations about administrative spending in higher education.
Brown University announced this week that it is drastically scaling back staff and operating expenses after reaching a settlement agreement with the Trump administration in July. Following the agreement requiring Brown to pay $50 million to state workforce development programs and other public investments, the Ivy League university says it will now lay off nearly 50 employees, eliminate 55 unfilled positions, and reduce overhead costs, totalling $15 million in savings for the school.
Currently, Brown faces a daunting $30 million budget deficit for the 2026 fiscal year, requiring administrators to enact budget reduction measures. “The implementation of these measures will take place across a range of academic and administrative departments and offices on campus,” a Brown University spokesman announced. University staff impacted by the workforce reduction will be offered severance packages and career transition support.
“One of the most significant decisions in developing the strategy to close this additional $30 million budget gap was to evenly divide budget measures between central University actions to reduce expenses by $15 million and giving academic and administrative units the discretion to decide how and where to reduce spending in their own areas to achieve the remaining $15 million in reductions,” the university said.
Former Brown student Alex Shieh, who made headlines for his criticism of administrative roles, commented on the layoffs, stating, “In recent years, Ivy League colleges have morphed into a bloated ‘educational industrial complex’ run by self-dealing administrators who charge families record tuition and divert the money to layers of staff that add little to the classroom.”
Shieh argued that these administrative positions do not serve students and contribute to soaring tuition costs, which he noted are now as high as $93,064 annually.
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