Dive Brief:
- Howard University cut 84 staff positions from its Washington, D.C., campus, marking the third straight year of reductions.
- The cuts did not affect hospital staff but the university did not disclose which types of positions were cut, The Washington Post reports.
- Amid financial struggles, the university cut about 200 positions last year and 75 the year before that, according to the article.
Dive Insight:
Howard University faced credit downgrades twice in 2014 and has had to deal with its financial struggles very publicly since a board of trustees member warned in 2013 that the school would close in three years if the board did not make “crucial decisions.” Howard University is one of the nation’s most prominent historically black universities and, while privately run, it receives more than $200 million from Congress each year. University officials are optimistic about the institution’s future and said the latest round of cuts should not affect the student experience. After three years of staffing reductions, however, many across the industry are waiting for positive financial news from Howard.