Harvard University lays off IT staff following funding challenges and endowment changes
Harvard University reduced its information technology staff by 38 last week as part of broader cost-cutting measures, according to an email obtained by The Harvard Crimson. The layoffs come as the University faces multiple financial pressures, including increased endowment taxes, reduced federal funding, and lower reimbursement rates for indirect research costs. Administrators have said these factors, along with operational costs and inflationary pressures, have made staffing reductions necessary.
CIO notifies staff of layoffs
Klara Jelinkova, Harvard’s Chief Information Officer, sent an email to HUIT employees on November 4 to announce the layoffs. Jelinkova cited a “shifting funding environment” as the driving factor and stated that no further layoffs were planned at the time. The email did not specify which positions were eliminated or provide details on how decisions were made regarding affected roles, according to reporting by The Harvard Crimson.In her email, Jelinkova wrote that HUIT had undertaken a “close examination of operations” and had implemented measures such as streamlining functions, reducing operating costs, and retiring older systems. She added that the University had focused its resources on technologies deemed most critical to teaching, research, and administration.
Other schools implemented staff reductions
The HUIT layoffs follow reductions in other Harvard schools. Last month, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences laid off 35 workers. Earlier in 2025, the Harvard Kennedy School and the School of Public Health reduced staff, though the total number of employees affected has not been disclosed. The Harvard Crimson reported that these cuts are part of ongoing efforts to adjust operations in response to budget constraints.
Employees learn of position cuts in meetings
Some employees were informed of their layoffs during group meetings with supervisors. Staff said they were not given details about the criteria used to select positions for elimination. Employees affected included those represented by the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers, though the union has not released a public response.
Cost-saving measures and university policies
The layoffs are part of a series of cost-reduction strategies implemented across the University. Harvard instituted a hiring freeze in March 2025 and paused merit-based wage increases for faculty and non-union staff. Initial contract proposals for both the non-tenure-track faculty union and the custodial workers’ union included yearlong wage freezes.Jelinkova emphasized that the layoffs were a last step after other measures proved insufficient. These measures included operational streamlining, reallocation of resources, and prioritization of technology and systems essential to Harvard’s core functions. According to The Harvard Crimson, administrators have also reviewed software and infrastructure spending, identifying older systems that could be retired or consolidated to reduce costs.
Federal funding and endowment changes affect budget
Harvard has regained most of the nearly $3 billion in federal funding that was cut during the Trump administration. However, other federal policies continue to reduce available funds. Increased endowment taxes and reduced reimbursement rates on indirect research costs have placed additional pressure on the University’s budget, according to financial analysts cited by The Harvard Crimson. University officials have stated that these federal measures, combined with operational costs, have contributed to the need for layoffs and other cost-saving actions. Administrators have also pointed to inflationary pressures and rising benefits costs as factors affecting long-term financial planning.
