Emerson College cuts staff citing enrollment decline tied to anti-Israel protests
Emerson College president said the university made the 'difficult decision' to eliminate 10 positions
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Emerson College laid off 10 employees amid a projected enrollment decline, the college announced in an email sent on Tuesday.
An Emerson College spokesperson sent Fox News Digital the email that was sent to faculty and staff, notifying them about spending cuts and the layoffs.
"College leadership has made the difficult decision to eliminate ten staff positions to help us realize our necessary cost savings," President Jay M. Bernhardt, the college's provost, and chief finance officer wrote in the email. "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."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Students at Emerson College supporting Palestine sleep in tents in an encampment they set up in an alley off of Boylston Street in Boston, Massachusetts on April 22, 2024. (JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)
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Emerson officials said that they took measures to manage their finances in order to "minimize the number of eliminated positions and programs."
The Boston Globe was the first to report on Emerson College's layoffs, adding that their spokeswoman told them that the layoffs impacted "multiple areas and affected a variety of supplemental programs and functions."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Most of the reductions take place immediately, while some will be phased in within the policies and procedures of the college and its bargaining units," the spokeswoman said.
The layoffs came after Bernhardt in June attributed the enrollment decline to the "negative press and social media generated from the demonstrations and arrests" in the wake of anti-Israel protests last Spring.
"We attribute this reduction to multiple factors, including national enrollment trends away from smaller private institutions, an enrollment deposit delay in response to the new FAFSA rollout, student protests targeting our yield events and campus tours, and negative press and social media generated from the demonstrations and arrests," Bernhardt wrote in June.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Boston, MA - April 22: Continuing their Sunday night encampment in the 2B Alley off Boylston Street, Emerson College students stage a pro-Palestinian protest. ( Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
After the deposit deadline for new students, administrators noticed that the college’s freshman class enrollment was "significantly below" what they had hoped.
Due to the adverse circumstances, Emerson will reportedly have to limit hiring for next year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Emerson was among several colleges across the country rocked by protests amid the Gaza conflict.
Emerson College reportedly laid off 10 employees amid a projected enrollment decline, according to a report. (Izabela Habur/iStock)
Boston police arrested 108 demonstrators at Emerson in April and said four officers were injured in clashes with anti-Israel agitators.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A police spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that three officers suffered minor injuries, while one officer was more seriously injured. None of the officers' injuries were life-threatening.
Fox News' Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.