University of Utah to lay off hundreds of staffers over the next year

The University of Utah is planning to lay off 285 to 855 staffers over the next year in a “modernization effort,” the state’s flagship university revealed Tuesday. 

The impacted workers represent 5% to 15% of the university’s workforce and will exclude faculty and healthcare staff, the university said in a blog post. The cut roles are expected to be consolidated, simplified or eliminated.

The university’s healthcare units will follow a “parallel path in coordination with the broader university effort,” the post says.

“The University of Utah has never become stronger by standing still,” University of Utah President Taylor Randall said in a statement. “One of the most important responsibilities of being a leader is stewardship. We inherited a remarkable university that was shaped by those who came before, and we have an obligation to leave it stronger for those who follow.”

The staff cuts will be made in the Office of Advancement, human resources and finance, information technology, marketing and communications, and administrative support, Rebecca Walsh, a spokesperson for the University of Utah said in an email.

“Impacted staff will have the opportunity to apply for new and redefined positions,” she said.

Some roles will be cut through normal attrition and retirement, Jeff Herring, chief human resources officer, said in the post. But other positions may be eliminated. 

“Uncertainty about job changes and organizational structure creates deeply personal questions for employees and their families,” Herring said. “The teams doing this work are moving quickly and thoughtfully to meet the goals of our modernization project while always remembering that our employees are the university’s greatest asset. There will be changes, I want to be clear about that. But anyone impacted will be supported throughout the process.”

Anticipating challenges

The “modernization” effort is intended to free up resources for more investment in education, research and patient care, the school’s core missions, the post says. So, while some jobs are getting cut, the initiative could mean more faculty positions, higher faculty salaries, additional research support “and continued development of a more fully residential campus.”

However, university leaders also cited challenges like a nationwide decline in public trust of higher education institutions, as well as federal cuts to research funding and Utah leaders’ continuous push to reduce costs and make reinvestment plans at state universities.

The school is also bracing for the impact of the state’s demographic changes, which means that beginning in 2032, the college-aged population is projected to decline over multiple years. 

“Those pressures also are showing up in the university’s financial outlook. While the U remains financially strong, maintaining healthy operating margins is critical to its ability to invest in faculty, students, research, facilities and other strategic priorities,” the university said in the post. “Across the university, expenses are growing faster than revenues, a trajectory that is not sustainable over the long term.”

The move also comes as the university changes its retirement benefits contribution formula from 14.2% to 6%, in addition to a 4% contribution match for newly hired personnel.

The latest staff cuts had been discussed over different days in August with deans and department chairs, Walsh said, and with the impacted staff through ongoing discussions since Aug. 24.

The university’s new financial goals had been on track since late 2025, with actions like centralizing the staff of its philanthropic support office and the consolidation of the liberal arts and science colleges this spring.