The Illinois Institute of Technology reduced its workforce by roughly 160 faculty and staff positions, a move a university spokesperson said comes as higher education institutions across the country face demographic declines, research cutbacks and restrictions on international students attending U.S. universities.
Illinois Tech recently made “the difficult, but decisive, steps needed to address these challenges and protect our mission as an opportunity engine for all,” a university spokesperson said in a statement to the Tribune.
“In order to protect our mission, ensure fiscal stability, and continue to provide excellent education for our students, we must transform the university to align with the future of our student body. Regretfully, this involves difficult changes for some of our community members,” the statement read.
Reductions were announced last week and were made in part to “strengthen the university’s long-term financial health,” Illinois Tech President Raj Echambadi wrote in a July 28 email to the university that was obtained by the Tribune.
“I know that words cannot capture the magnitude of this moment for our community,” Echambadi wrote in the email. “Thank you for the care you show one another, for your continued commitment to our students, and for your shared belief in Illinois Tech’s future.”
The reductions are tied in part to financial instability at Illinois Tech, according to a July 22 University Faculty Council resolution sent to the school’s board of trustees obtained by the Tribune. The University Faculty Council is the representative body of faculty at Illinois Tech.
Late last month, Illinois Tech’s board of trustees unanimously voted to declare financial exigency — a term often used in higher education to indicate a school’s dire financial state and need to make financial and personnel changes as a result, such as laying off tenured faculty, who usually have strong job protections.
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Furthermore, the American Association of University Professors describes financial exigency as an “imminent financial crisis which threatens the survival of the institution as a whole,” and one that “cannot be alleviated by less drastic means” than firing faculty. It does not necessarily indicate that a school is closing.
In a separate statement to the Tribune, a university spokesperson acknowledged the board of trustees’ decision and reiterated that the move aimed to protect the school’s mission and financial stability.
“After careful review and consideration, the Board of Trustees made the financial determination necessary to authorize these decisions, which are intended to strengthen the University’s long-term financial sustainability and preserve its mission as an opportunity engine for generations to come,” the statement said.
The layoffs and exigency declaration come as Illinois Tech has already planned for a sweeping shift in its operations, including a restructuring of its academic institutions. The school is planning to host three interdisciplinary colleges — Tech Futures, Design Futures and Professional Futures — that will encompass six schools instead of seven separate colleges, according to its website.
Illinois Tech’s main campus is located in the city’s Bronzeville neighborhood, with other campuses throughout the Chicagoland area. One of those academic programs is the university’s law school, Chicago-Kent, which is located in the Loop. Chicago-Kent is also facing staffing reductions, according to a July 21 vote of no confidence resolution by the law school’s faculty that was obtained by the Tribune.
According to the resolution, a majority of law school faculty members who attended the informal meeting voted “no confidence” in Illinois Tech president Echambadi and Provost Elizabeth Hudson. The resolution further claims that the university’s staffing cuts were also tied to overall enrollment declines, while the law school’s enrollment is increasing.
Overall enrollment at Illinois Tech has fluctuated in recent years, with 8,838 students enrolled in fall 2024 and 7,502 in fall 2025, according to its website. Chicago-Kent has seen a slight increase in enrollment, with 707 students enrolling in its J.D. program in fall 2024 and 719 in fall 2025.
Despite the changes, classes will not be canceled as a result of the layoffs and the student-to-faculty ratio is expected to be 15:1 after the reductions, the university spokesperson’s statement said.
“We recognize that changes of this nature have a significant impact on members of our community, and we are committed to approaching this process with compassion and support, including severance and transition assistance. We will respect the privacy of those affected as this work proceeds,” the statement read. “As always, we will continue to place students at the center of all that we do and to ensure educational excellence at Illinois Tech.”