Having seen enrollment dive by 20 percent since 2021 and looking to bridge a $48 million budget deficit, The New School has reduced its workforce by 87 people.
Efter at tilmeldingen er faldet med 20 procent siden 2021 og for at afhjælpe et budgetunderskud på 48 millioner dollars har The New School reduceret sin arbejdsstyrke med 87 personer.
Earlier this week, the school’s chapter of American Association of University Professors, known as “AAUP TNS,” and the New School Economics Student Union posted statements in opposition to the cuts.
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I sin “Fordømmelse af masseafskedigelser” foreslog AAUP TNS, at administrationen “ikke har delt klare kriterier for lukningen af akademiske programmer, der har muliggjort nogle af disse afskedigelser, og de har ikke fremlagt nogen begrundelse for elimineringen af specifikke fakultetsstillinger.” Gruppen skrev, “Mange synes at være politisk motiverede og gengældelsesmotiverede. Flere af de afskedigede fakultetsmedlemmer arbejder i programmer, der ikke er blevet lukket eller engang markeret til omstrukturering, og blev derfor taget på sengen af afskedigelserne. Selv fakultetet i programmer, der er centrale for universitetets omstrukturering, herunder dem hvis forslag til nye programmer netop var blevet godkendt, er blevet fyret.”
A report in The New School Free Press said that many of those laid off are tenured, and several are the most prominent critics of the school’s restructuring, including Sanjay Reddy, an economics professor at NSSR. He did not respond immediately Friday to a request for comment.
Ifølge AAUP TNS Worker Solidarity Committee underviser de 19 afskedigede fakultetsmedlemmer angiveligt ved Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts og New School for Social Research. Seksten af disse personer siges at tilhøre Local 1205, fagforeningen der repræsenterer bibliotekar- og kontorpersonale ved universitetet. En forespørgsel fra medierne til Local 1205 blev ikke besvaret fredag.
After this article posted, a school representative claimed that the 16 Local 1205 members were among the 68 staffer layoffs.
Describing the daily challenges as being “long in the making, both here at home and across higher education more broadly,” Towers noted that enrollment at The New School has declined since its peak in 2021 by 20 percent, which had created a cumulative structural budget deficit of more than $160 million. Last month in an interview, Towers told The New School Free Press that the budget deficit was nearly $60 million.
On Thursday, Towers noted that New School is shifting from four colleges to two, reshaping its academic portfolio, creating “a leaner, more adaptable operating structure,” and adjusting its real estate portfolio to meet the needs of students and size of the campus community. Towers said that faculty and staff levels were being aligned with enrollment, “budget realities, and the needs of our new structure.” The student body is comprised of approximately 8,300 undergraduate and graduate students. In 2027, Parsons, Mannes, Jazz, and Drama will represent almost 80 percent of New School students while the Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts and New School for Social Research will make up approximately 20 percent of the student population.
Towers said that 30 full-time faculty members were placed in teaching positions in other parts of the university. Those individuals were not any of the 87 impacted employees. In addition, vacant positions were eliminated, a hiring freeze was put in place, and “generous” voluntary separation and retirement programs were offered, he said. The fiscal year 2027 operating budget has been reduced by approximately 15 percent, Towers said in his memo.
“Mens antallet af afskedigelser ikke er så stort, som det kunne have været uden frivillige programmer og andre omkostningsbesparelsestiltag, minimerer det ikke virkningen af jobfjernelserne for de enkelte personer, deres familier, og dem, der bliver tilbage og vil føle deres fravær,” skrev han.
I de senere måneder har spændingerne mellem studerende og fakultet omkring de foreslåede nedskæringer været i vækst. I marts marcherede mere end 100 fakultetsmedlemmer, personale og studerende for at aflevere et brev til Towers i opposition til den planlagte omstrukturering, underskrevet af 1.000 støtter. I december protesterede hundredvis uden for West 12th Street under et bestyrelsesmøde for at udtrykke deres bekymring over budgetnedskæringer. Plakater med et billede af Towers og flere linjer af “NOT MY PRESIDENT” blev hængt op på det tidspunkt.
Parsons har fostret mange modekarrierer med designere som Donna Karan, Anna Sui, Marc Jacobs og Tracey Reese har engang været studerende der.
