CMU's Heinz College announces layoffs

Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy will lay off a number of staff members, school officials said this week.

The affected staff were notified Tuesday morning.

In an email to Heinz College faculty and staff, Dean Ramayya Krishnan said the financial impact of the covid-19 pandemic necessitated the changes.

The college’s business model, Krishnan said, relies heavily on tuition dollars from students in master’s degree programs. Krishnan said “it became clear” in recent weeks that the number of students choosing to delay their enrollment or withdraw from further consideration would “exceed expectation.”

“I know this is difficult news,” Krishnan wrote. “But I believe these changes are necessary to position us to meet our research and educational missions. We will continue to monitor our financial situation as the pandemic unfolds and will strive to avoid further personnel reductions.”

Krishnan said the college had been “as generous as possible” with its severance packages, and human resources personnel will assist the affected staff with their career transitions.

When asked how many staff members were laid off and what positions they held, a spokesman said the university does not comment publicly on specific details of these measures.

“Like many institutions, Carnegie Mellon University faces ongoing financial challenges due to the pandemic and its effect on our operations,” a university statement said. “The university has enacted several measures to manage these impacts, including requesting that each administrative and academic unit pursue opportunities to reduce program and personnel expenses. We deeply regret the hardship on those impacted by them.”

The Heinz College is just the latest academic institution in the United States to reduce staff as a result of the pandemic. Since March, numerous colleges and universities have experienced layoffs, often citing the rising cost of upgrading technology and health and safety equipment, along with drops in revenue. In July, The Chronicle of Higher Education identified 244 institutions affected by layoffs, furloughs or nonrenewal of contracts because of covid-19.

In April, Carnegie Mellon as a whole froze hiring and salaries in an effort to reduce costs.