Other universities have also trimmed teaching positions, although most have limited themselves to those without tenure. This month, the University of Texas at San Antonio laid off 69 instructors, while the University of Michigan, Flint, last month eliminated more than 40 percent of the 300 lecturers who handle a majority of the teaching load on campus. Since May, Ohio University has had three rounds of layoffs, including more than 50 nonunionized faculty members. The cuts underscore the growing financial crisis sweeping across higher education, which in recent years has struggled with shrinking state support and declining enrollment amid concerns about skyrocketing tuition and the burden of student debt. The coronavirus and signs of declining fall enrollment have only accelerated the financial trouble everywhere including at large state research universities and small liberal arts schools.

Source: International New York Times July 16, 2020 23:15 UTC