The New School’s AAUP chapter condemned recently announced layoffs as a “major gutting” of full-time faculty and challenged the necessity of the reductions. The private institution said it will cut 19 faculty and 68 staff to manage a fiscal deficit, aiming to shrink its fiscal 2027 budget by 15% and balance by fiscal 2028. AAUP is calling for reinstatement or phased retirement for affected faculty, arguing that the cuts will damage the academic institution’s core structures and threaten the integrity of academic programs planned for restructuring. The union also said layoffs disproportionately affected people of color and clustered in the humanities and social sciences. The administration framed the move as “rebalancing” faculty and staff levels to align with enrollment and future needs. The New School is also consolidating four colleges into two, and the cuts come after voluntary buyouts and elimination of vacant positions. The dispute intensifies faculty governance pressure in an environment where universities face enrollment-linked budget constraints and growing skepticism from shared-governance stakeholders.