In recent months, public and private colleges and universities across the country have announced mass layoffs, program eliminations and campus closures. The measures come in response to significant budget shortfalls as a result of declining enrollment, the end of federal COVID-19 pandemic funding and other factors. Earlier this year, four of the 14 universities in the Big Ten Conference — Penn State, Nebraska, Minnesota and Rutgers — announced significant budget shortfalls, topping $100 million at two of the schools. West Virginia University reportedly was making cuts amid a $45 million budget deficit while Bradley University, a private school in Illinois, was addressing a $13 million budget shortfall representing 10% of its total operating budget.
