Johns Hopkins University Announces Layoffs Amid Budget Cuts: Impact on American Universities

Johns Hopkins University announced Thursday it’s laying off over 2 000 employees amid budget cuts made by the Trump administration.

The largest layoff in the school’s history, 2 200 people will be laid off, and then another 100 will be subject to reduced schedules.

A spokesman for Johns Hopkins told USA Today that affected workers will get at least 60 days notice before being terminated, and that a large portion of those being let go are working abroad as the university specialised in research projects funded by USAID, which has been drastically cut by Trump.

The university had been receiving the largest amount of federal research financing of all American universities and is still the largest employer in the state of Maryland.

Trump has also halted existing funding for other colleges, such as Columbia University, which saw $400 million in contracts and grants cancelled by the White House. Congress could potentially put long-term cuts on National Institutes of Health grants, which usually provide close to $48 billion in research financing for 2 500 colleges, medical schools and other research organisations. Researchers say such cuts threaten important efforts made into studying chronic illnesses, serious diseases and other studies being made in order to protect the health of Americans.

Harvard University is another well-known school that could be imperiled by cuts, as it is one of 60 universities that were told Monday by the Department of Education that they are under investigation for alleged anti-Semitic harassment and discrimination. As a result of what it called “substantial financial uncertainties driven by rapidly shifting federal policies,” Harvard announced a faculty and staff hiring freeze Monday.

Another school bracing for the impact of funding cuts is the University of California San Diego, which is also one of the schools on the investigation list, stated Monday that the Trump administration’s funding cuts could result in an annual loss for the school of over $150 million.

Colorado State University announced in a press release Tuesday that it is “implementing a temporary hiring chill until further notice,” and is asking its deans, vice presidents, department heads and campus supervisors to limit “discretionary spending to essential and mission-critical activities.” CSU is not on the Department of Education’s list but is making these moves due to “uncertainties within the ever-evolving higher education landscape.” (UPI)