Columbia University has announced plans to lay off close to 180 employees following the revocation of $400 million in federal funding by President Donald Trump.
The decision, which was confirmed on Tuesday, is reportedly linked to the university’s handling of pro-Palestinian student protests related to the war in Gaza.
In a statement, the university said the layoffs affect about 20 percent of staff whose roles were dependent on the now-cancelled federal grants.
“We’ve had to make thoughtful and difficult decisions about how to manage our financial resources,” Columbia stated.
“These choices inevitably affect our most valuable asset, our people. We recognize the hardship this will cause.”
University spokesperson Jessica Murphy declined to say whether additional layoffs could follow but confirmed that leadership is exploring various strategies to strengthen the institution’s financial stability.
These include maintaining current pay levels and offering voluntary retirement options.
To cope with the funding shortfall, Columbia also plans to reduce the scale of its research activities. Some studies will be suspended or downsized while departments seek new funding avenues.
Among the affected research areas are projects involving antiviral nasal sprays for infectious diseases, maternal health, treatment for long COVID, neonatal care for opioid-affected infants, and colorectal cancer screening programs.
