The New School announced plans to cut another 15% of staff after voluntary buyouts failed to close a $30 million structural deficit, signaling deeper financial retrenchment at private institutions with declining enrollment. The cuts will include faculty and staff reductions and elimination of vacant roles as the university seeks to align capacity with reduced student numbers. Payroll problems remain an everyday pain point for contingent instructors: adjuncts report repeated late paychecks and precarious payroll cycles despite long service, intensifying calls for more stable employment practices. Campus unions and faculty leaders warn that late pay and layoffs erode trust, dampen recruitment and amplify academic disruptions. Why it matters: institutions must balance short-term cuts with long-term capacity and reputation. Trustees and finance officers should prioritize transparent budget scenarios and faculty workload plans to limit harm to instruction and accreditation.