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Brown University in Providence, R.I., announced layoffs and position cuts as part of a $15 million budget reduction plan aimed at offsetting a projected $30 million shortfall. Scott Eisen/Getty Images

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Brown University will lay off 48 employees and eliminate 55 unfilled positions as part of a $15 million budget reduction plan aimed at addressing a projected $30 million shortfall in fiscal year 2026.

The Ivy League institution announced the cost-cutting measures this week, saying they are necessary to ensure long-term financial stability while preserving its core academic mission.

University leaders, including President Christina Paxson, Provost Francis Doyle and Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Sarah Latham, said employees affected by the layoffs will receive severance packages and career transition support.

The cuts will be split between central administration and academic departments, with officials noting that undergraduate education and other academic priorities were assigned smaller reductions. A hiring freeze is also in place.

The 55 unfilled jobs, which had been budgeted but never staffed, will be permanently removed from the payroll. In addition, department heads have been told to reduce their budgets by 2.5 percent.

To reach its financial target, Brown plans a series of measures, including consolidating health plans, delaying some facilities renewals, monetizing certain real estate assets, and temporarily pausing investments tied to its net-zero emissions goals. Officials said they will also prioritize fundraising for gifts that provide immediate budgetary benefits.

The university cited broader financial pressures, including uncertainty around federal funding, as reasons for the cuts. A multi-departmental review committee helped decide which roles to eliminate, factoring in diversity, equity and legal considerations.

Brown last faced major student-led protests over layoffs during the 2008 financial crisis, when more than 60 positions were eliminated. Administrators said this round of reductions was crafted to avoid weakening the university's academic and research mission while addressing fiscal realities.