Portland State University announced a “final plan” after months of negotiations with its faculty union, including layoffs of 36 employees and the closure of two departments. The move is intended to address a projected $35 million budget shortfall over the next two years. The decision highlights how higher-ed cost pressures are translating into immediate workforce impacts and program reductions. For faculty governance and campus workforce planning, the reductions signal a potentially larger wave of restructuring—especially in institutions already managing deferred maintenance and tight operating margins. The action will likely affect shared governance negotiations, course availability, and institutional compliance planning as PSU works to close its budget gap.