MILWAUKEE – Alverno College has announced a restructuring plan for the university, which involves changes to Alverno’s majors and programs and will lead to more than three dozen layoffs and affect graduate students trying to finish their degrees.
The private women’s college will reduce its previous 43 undergraduate majors down to 29 and cut its 25 graduate programs down to 19. With the restructuring, the university is laying of 25 full-time faculty positions as well as 12-full time staff positions. The university said it will be combining departments to increase efficiency.
“These are difficult decisions to make, and we regret the impact these cuts will have on our colleagues; however, these actions are necessary as we forge a path forward that safeguards Alverno’s survival, preserves our accreditation, and retains our academic integrity,” said Christy Brown, President of Alverno College. “Moving forward, we will continue to invest in and support areas of growth that will be identified by our community of gifted faculty and staff.”
Alverno’s Board of Trustees has voted to declare financial exigency ahead of these changes, after indicating that cuts to programs and staff were likely back in early May due to the university’s ongoing financial troubles.
While no undergraduate students will be unable to complete their studies and graduate, three majors at the graduate level will be affected. Alverno said it is currently looking for other educational institutions to accommodate 25 grad students who won’t be able to finish their degrees at Alverno.
A full list of programs that are remaining can be found here and the university said they are “aligned with Alverno’s reputational strengths and teaching excellence.”
Alverno College is just the latest in a number of Southeast Wisconsin colleges that are facing financial troubles. In May, Concordia University Wisconsin announced plans to lay off two dozen employees as well. In March, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee announced it would close its Waukesha campus. The most drastic was Cardinal Stritch University, which closed permanently in 2023.
“While these are times that present headwinds for Alverno and other higher education institutions in Wisconsin, we believe declaring financial exigency will ultimately position Alverno College for a more financially sustainable future,” said Kathy Hudson, chair of the Board of Trustees. “We remain dedicated to providing students a transformational education experience.”
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