Facing an $18 million budget deficit for next fiscal year, Bowie State University, Maryland’s oldest historically Black university, said it will cut 79 positions from its workforce.
According to a message from Bowie State University President Aminta Breaux, the university plans to cut those jobs through a combination of vacancies, reorganization and layoffs. The school currently has slightly more than 1,100 employees and a $222 million budget.
The letter says the deficit comes from a combination of factors such as reduced funding from the federal and state governments, a decrease in student enrollment, but an increase in employee benefits, utilities and “essential technology.”
“These decisions are being made through a comprehensive and deliberate process and will adhere to all applicable laws, policies and collective bargaining agreements,” Breaux wrote in the Tuesday letter that was also signed by Guy-Alain Amoussou, BSU provost and vice president for academic affairs, and Manish Kumar, the vice president for administration and finance.
“We recognize that this is difficult news,” the letter said. “Please know that these decisions are not a reflection of the dedication and excellence you bring to Bowie State each day but rather the result of significant financial challenges that we must address to ensure the university’s long-term viability.”
Due to revenue constraints, a warning was presented in a PowerPoint presentation in March that the school would not “call for new initiatives” for fiscal 2027.
The school faced a $13.6 million budget deficit in the current fiscal year, but was able to avoid layoffs through delays in hiring, elimination of vacant positions and other factors.
The school will hold a budget forum at the student ballroom at 10 a.m. May 15, exactly one week before spring commencement ceremonies on the campus.