Financial pressure forced DePaul University to eliminate 114 staff positions—nearly 8% of its workforce—to plug a $12.6 million budget shortfall driven by an abrupt drop in international graduate enrollments and rising student aid costs. The cuts followed hiring freezes and executive concessions but reflect a broader vulnerability across institutions dependent on international tuition and stable enrollment. Sector leaders warn that recurring deficits often stem from systemic weaknesses—siloed processes, poor data flows and aging administrative systems—that make tactical cuts unavoidable. Governance experts say boards must combine short‑term fiscal fixes with structural systems thinking to restore operational resilience and sustain mission priorities.