University of Dayton Not Renewing Contracts of 45 Faculty Members, 20 Staff in Wave of Cutbacks
Kerry Kadel | Editor-in-Chief
The University of Dayton on Tuesday afternoon confirmed information Flyer News learned Monday afternoon that the contracts of 45 faculty members will not be renewed for the 2025-26 academic year.
The university revealed that 20 staff positions will be cut also, totaling a reduction of 65 employees. The announcement came in a letter from President Eric F. Spina, Provost Darlene Weaver, and Executive Vice President Andy Horner, in UD’s ongoing response to financial pressures facing higher education.
“We know these decisions affect real people—our valued colleagues who have dedicated themselves to our students and mission,” the University of Dayton stated in its announcement letter.
The announcement also stated that employees affected by the changes will receive severance packages and other benefits while faculty contracts will continue to be honored through the 2024-25 academic year.
The UD staff received “at least four weeks’ notice” and will be able to continue working through June 30. The reduction only affects under 2% of UD’s workforce, and, in a fact sheet within the letter the university explained that it has not “run a deficit” and has maintained a stable credit rating.
The changes are part of the University of Dayton’s response to challenges facing higher education that have been discussed by the university in multiple meetings such as town halls and Q&A sessions. However, the letter emphasizes that the university’s focus is on faculty and staff members who have received the difficult news and the impact that news will have on their lives.
Spina explained that UD is smaller now than it was, nearly the same size of the student body in 2012, which had a total population of 2,049 freshman, according to the Ohio Department of Higher Education. In the 2023-24 academic year, the University of Dayton saw a decline in undergraduate numbers, but had been in decline since 2021-22. The number fell from 8,367 to 8,176, according to College Tution Compare.
Several problems that account for these numbers are fewer high school graduates, fewer international students choosing UD, and lower trust in higher education – all of it contributing to the budget issue.
It was in September that the University announced that non-tenure faculty would not have their contracts renewed for the 2025-26 academic year, with multiple master’s and doctoral programs being eliminated. At the time, the university said these announcements would be released on March 15, 2025. A 10 percent to 15 percent reduction had been planned for both student headcount and workforce.
In its closing, the letter makes it clear that those affected by these changes are respected, and the University of Dayton’s priority is to minimize disruptions that would affect the academic experience while support is at an all-time high for faculty and staff members.