Boston University To Lay Off 120 Staffers

BOSTON, MA — Boston University plans to lay off 120 staffers and leave another 120 vacancies unfilled, university leaders said in a letter.

"This is a day of loss for all of us," said the letter titled "Important Financial Update."

The letter was posted to the university's website Monday.

The letter was from University President Melissa Gilliam, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gloria Waters, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Nicole Tirella, and Senior Vice President of Operations Derek Howe.

"There is no way around this," the letter said. "We know our community may need time to adjust to these difficult changes. Yet, it is also a necessary step in ensuring our future. Across our campuses, teams are already working hard to position Boston University to thrive. Over the coming months, there will be many efforts to reshape and reimagine the University in its most efficient and vital form."

In the letter, the university leaders said "federal actions and funding cuts are affecting our research enterprise as well as day-to-day operations."

"As we take part in a national renegotiation of how the country’s higher education model will be funded, universities face other pressures such as rising inflation, changing demographics, declining graduate enrollment, and the need to adapt to new technologies," the letter said.

"Every effort has been made to limit the number of layoffs, and these actions will apply to approximately 1% of our employees," the letter said. "Still, we know that any reduction in staffing is painful."