UMB, UMES, Morgan State face layoffs, cuts due to budget constraints
The University of Maryland, Baltimore; Morgan State University; and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore are undergoing staff reductions and other cuts due to a budget crunch.
Both the UMB and UMES are part of the University System of Maryland, which is comprised of 12 schools and three regional centers. The system is facing shortfalls. The governor's budget called for a $111 million reduction in funding as the state grappled with a $3.3 billion deficit. The universities will get $2.21 billion in state funding in fiscal year 2026.
UMB will eliminate around 30 vacant positions and lay off about 30 full-time staff due to the cuts, President Bruce E. Jarrell said in a Monday letter to employees. In addition, 'modest salary reductions' will impact about 1,000 people, while the deans and vice presidents of various departments, as well as Jarrell, will take undetermined pay cuts to offset a portion of the budget deficit.
Moore did announce in March a 1% cost-of-living adjustment for all state employees this past legislative session, which includes state-funded regular faculty and staff positions, including collective bargaining unit employees.
'We are all in this together and must stand together,' Jarrell wrote.
UMES will eliminate all positions that have been vacant for three or more years and institute a hiring freeze with 'rare exceptions.' The historically Black university also plans to reduce costs through attrition, cuts to the temporary workforce and furloughs, among other initiatives.
'We are enacting these measures to minimize the impact on our faculty, staff, and their families,' UMES President Heidi M. Anderson said in a Tuesday statement. 'This will be a difficult period for everyone, but these efforts will make our university, our region and our state all the stronger moving forward.'
UMES employees will receive a 'modest' cost of living adjustment with their pay, the school announced.
To offset cuts, Morgan State, which is a public university, implemented a hiring freeze on nonessential roles, eliminated 35 vacant positions and plans to lay off 15 staff members, almost half of earlier projections, by making cuts in other areas, according to a university spokesperson Tuesday. No tenured or tenure-track faculty positions were affected.
'We are deeply mindful of the potential job loss this process may entail for some members of our dedicated staff,' Morgan State officials said in a statement. 'The University did not arrive at these decisions lightly. Every step taken was grounded in sound fiscal management and compassionate leadership, with the goal of protecting the long-term health and sustainability of the institution.'
Towson University has instituted a hiring pause for fiscal year 2025 but is still planning for fiscal 2026, according to a university spokesperson Tuesday.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County and Frostburg State University said they are still assessing their budgets. Salisbury University said it was not planning any layoffs. The University of Maryland, College Park said Tuesday that it didn't have any information to provide; and the University of Baltimore, Bowie State University and Coppin State University did not respond to questions.
'There are many reasons to be pessimistic, but I am not,' Jarrell wrote. 'This moment, though challenging, also provides an opportunity — for collaboration, innovation, and growth. I know that we will find our way through this, we will maintain our mission, and we will find new opportunities to excel. We will come out stronger, together.'
Other schools nationwide have also implemented hiring freezes, such as the University of Vermont, North Carolina State University, the University of Washington and the University of California, San Diego, according to a report by the Associated Press.
Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@baltsun.com or on X as @ToddKarpovich.
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