Emerson College plans layoffs, reports decreased enrollment after 'negative' reaction to anti-Israel protests
Emerson College president Jay Bernhardt wrote that freshman enrollment for this fall is 'significantly below' what had been predicted.
Emerson College is planning to lay off a portion of its faculty and staff after anti-Israel protests and occupations on campus over the spring caused a drop in enrollment.
In a message to the campus community, Emerson College president Jay Bernhardt and other administrators wrote that freshman enrollment for this fall is “significantly below” what had been predicted, according to CBS Boston.
Bernhardt and other administrators pointed at a number of reasons for the decrease in enrollment but said that anti-Israel protests had an impact.
”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,” they wrote.
[RELATED: Emerson students take over public alley, allegedly harass Jewish passersby]
Anti-Israel students at Emerson occupied a portion of campus in late April. Police eventually broke up the encampment, arresting 108 individuals.
Officials said the individuals were violating several city ordinances by setting up tents in the alley at Emerson.
Emerson administrators also said in the message that the drop in enrollment is expected to be “a one-year phenomenon,” but needs “immediate spending reductions” to cover the decline in revenue.
”We will limit our staff and faculty searches next year and carefully review existing programs and offerings for future savings,” administrators wrote. ”Finally, we will need to eliminate some staff positions, both vacant and filled, and potentially reduce some faculty positions.”
