ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) – Layoffs are coming to Cornell.

On June 18, Big Red officials announced a series of actions in response to federal funding cuts that have caused “profound financial challenges.”

Those funding issues, including hundreds of millions of dollars of frozen or terminated federal research contracts, threats to future research funding, financial aid, and medical reimbursement, as well as research cost recovery, have led to a spring semester “unlike anything ever seen in higher education.” The university also cites inflation, workforce expansion, anticipated tax on endowment income, and “rapidly escalating legal expenses” as other contributing factors leading to the decision.

Cornell will review its programs and workforce for efficiency, adding that “involuntary reductions in headcount across the university” are anticipated. Research operations will also be looked at, and the hiring freeze instituted in February will remain in place for the upcoming academic year, as well as limited discretionary expenditures.

Officials say a reduction in the workforce, which has increased by more than 15% over the last four years, is a “necessity to ensure Cornell’s long-term financial viability.”