Emerson College announces layoffs, program cuts

Emerson College laid off 10 staff members amid declining enrollment, according to an email sent to staff and faculty on Tuesday. Two programs at the college were suspended, an Emerson representative confirmed to the Berkeley Beacon, Emerson’s student-run newspaper.

“Taking opportunities away from students, caused by staffing shortages, is not how you invest in a university,” Emerson student Rebecca Melkonian told Boston.com. 

Emerson College President Jay Bernhardt originally announced layoffs in June. An email to faculty and staff in June said “multiple factors,” caused the layoffs. It noted “negative press” from pro-Palestine protests in April that resulted in the arrest of 118 students as one of the reasons. 

“We are grateful for the contributions these dedicated staff members have made to the College, and we have made arrangements to support them in this transition,” the email sent on Tuesday said. “All affected employees are being informed privately and offered severance packages as part of a separation agreement.”

The email said the college is utilizing other methods to save money, including “developing plans for voluntary faculty buyouts, reduced faculty searches, freezing and delaying selected staff searches, strengthening hiring controls, deferring capital projects, and planning for reductions in operational expenditures.”

Coleman Toomey, another Emerson student, said she feels administrative choices, including the layoffs, don’t reflect the cost of attendance. 

“If we’re paying upwards of $80,000 a year, it’s angering to see that money seemingly go to waste,” she said. “Truthfully, I’m worried about more professors and programs leaving to the point where we’re getting a shell of the education we pay for.”

Two Emerson programs suspended

The email sent to faculty did not list the suspended programs. However, a spokesperson for the college confirmed the Bright Lights Cinema Series and Engagement Lab were the suspended programs. 

A statement on the Bright Lights website says the series ended due to “necessary budget reductions” and the college’s “commitment to support core academic programs.”

The Bright Lights Cinema Series, established in 2012, hosted weekly movie screenings free to students, staff, faculty, and the public. According to their website, their mission was to “create community through cinema.”

The Engagement Lab had not released a statement as of Thursday night and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.