Clark University Plans 30% Faculty Layoffs Amid Enrollment Decline

Clark University in Worcester is facing significant enrollment and financial challenges, leading to plans to lay off up to 30% of faculty and 5% of staff while restructuring its academic programs. The incoming undergraduate class is underenrolled by approximately 80 to 150 students, representing a nearly 20% drop from projections, resulting in an estimated $7 million loss in revenue. The university will focus its academic offerings into three key areas: Climate, Environment and Society; Media Arts, Computing and Design; and Health and Human Behavior, folding existing programs into these schools without eliminating any. Clark’s graduate school, heavily reliant on international students who comprise 82% of its population, faces uncertainty due to the Trump administration's immigration policies, which could further impact enrollment and finances. The layoffs are expected to primarily affect non-tenured, pre-tenured, and adjunct faculty, with the student-faculty ratio adjusting from about 7/8:1 to a targeted 10:1. University leadership emphasizes that the restructuring is a strategic response to demographic shifts, rising operational costs, and changing public attitudes toward higher education, aiming to sustain the institution's strengths and continue providing a personalized academic experience.