Future of Division III

[y_jack_lok]

^^^ Thanks for those insights/explanations.

[Kuiper]

Here is an article from the Muhlenberg student newspaper that has some updated info about the faculty and staff cuts discussed ealier

Muhlenberg Cuts Faculty and Staff to Combat $10 million Deficit

On May 19, 13 faculty received letters of non-reappointment following the 2026-2027 academic year, and nine staff members were laid off. Additionally, the administration announced that 16 vacant staff positions were eliminated.

These layoffs were made in an effort to address Muhlenberg's $10 million deficit. In a community message sent out to faculty and staff on May 19, President Kathleen Harring noted that the personnel changes will contribute $6 million to closing the deficit over the next two years, and that an additional $4 million will be contributed from the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) operating budget savings, renegotiation of vendor contracts and other efforts. Harring emphasized in the message, "While the current budget deficit does not threaten the College's survival, it is very serious." Interim Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Larry Bomback noted that these strategic budget reductions "will account for about 40% of the savings under the current plan," including efforts like the closing of Martin Luther Hall.

According to Mules For Transparency, a student-led organization that hosts an archive from their Instagram page, five departments emailed students to communicate the loss of faculty in art, dance, public health, education and Italian. Harring stated in an updated FAQ on June 5 that a list of terminated faculty and staff has not been shared in order to protect privacy.

A previous FAQ shared with the campus community on May 27 by Harring and Provost Laura Furge stated that faculty and staff were first informed in December 2025 that one of the ways the College was attempting to balance its budget was by eliminating faculty and staff positions. However, faculty and staff have expressed confusion and frustration over how the decisions were made regarding which positions to eliminate.

Jane Carney '24 served as the Writing Center's assistant director for two years before her position was cut. "My previous position as assistant director of the Writing Center is unique in that it supports multiple legs of the institution. Most importantly, the position acts as a constant presence to ensure the Writing Program runs smoothly, from administrative duties to the daily mentoring of tutors. Writing can be challenging and vulnerable for college students, and there is an enormous stigma around asking for help. There needs to be institutional support in place for tutors and writers alike as they collaborate in these vulnerable spaces. Eliminating the full time assistant director position isn't simply 'trimming off the fat' of a costly program, it's a display of blatant indifference by administration."

An anonymous faculty member who received a letter of non-reappointment shared, "The FAQ [from May 27] makes it seem like there has been ongoing dialogue between the board [of trustees], administration and faculty about these layoffs, which I find to be misleading. Throughout the semester, faculty have been urging the administration to provide us with clarity on how these cuts would be made and which departments would be impacted. That simply did not happen. I'm also not sure how the administration can say layoffs were discussed meaningfully in faculty meetings when two meetings this semester ended due to a lack of quorum from a faculty walkout and boycott."

The same faculty member also noted concerns over the future of departments and programs with the loss of these employees. "The FAQ also claims that programs will not be eliminated. I am not sure how the administration can say that's true. Across the non-reappointment meetings with the Provost, it's my understanding that multiple faculty members asked for clarity and questioned how their programs would continue to run due to these cuts. No clear plan was provided. The FAQ tells students to contact their department chair and program coordinator if they have questions about their programs. How are we supposed to answer questions for students if the administration won't answer ours?"

Furge shared that she has been working alongside department chairs to move towards a 12:1 student to faculty ratio through the implementation of the new weekly course schedule in fall 2026 and increasing course caps, amongst other efforts to ensure a smooth transition.

One faculty member given a letter of non-reappointment is unlikely to return for the 2026-2027 academic year. Bruno Bohn, who joined Muhlenberg's Public Health department at the start of the 2025-2026 academic year, stated, "I find it [the non-reappointment offer] to be an affront to the original terms of my hiring as a tenure track assistant professor; this is completely unaligned with the goals, sacrifices and rewards of an academic career. I feel betrayed by the people and the institutions that were supposed to look out for me and my career."

Anh Le's departure after the 2026-2027 academic year means that Muhlenberg will no longer be able to offer introductory history courses in East and Southeast Asian history. His work was often interdisciplinary, and he stated that his leaving will "deeply weaken Asian Studies and International Studies" amongst other programs. He continued, "This layoff sends a troubling message about the College's priorities. At a time when students need rigorous knowledge of Asia, global political economy, migration, empires and international affairs more than ever, reducing institutional capacity in these areas risks narrowing the scope of a liberal arts education. Disinvestment from area studies, international studies, language education and humanistic inquiry is not only shortsighted; it diminishes the College's ability to prepare students for an increasingly complex world."

As a response to these terminations, the Faculty Personnel and Policies Committee (FPPC) composed a letter addressed to Harring and members of Muhlenberg's Board of Trustees focused on concerns regarding the decision-making process and shared governance. The letter identifies a concern shared by many members of the community: "The issue is not whether this institution faces real challenges. It is whether those challenges are being met with the level of clarity, consistency and leadership that this moment requires. The gap between what is being communicated and what is being experienced across the community is too significant to ignore."

In correspondence with the campus community, the administration stated that decisions about which positions were eliminated were not made based on personal performance but rather data and factors like student demand and institutional priorities. However, the FPPC letter argues that how these factors are measured have not been clarified by administration. Additionally, the Financial Stewardship Plan shared by Harring and Board of Trustees Chair Lance R. Bruck on May 21 emphasizes investing in select programs, but according to the FPPC, several of the cuts seem misaligned with those areas of growth, like the recently approved musical theater major and 4+1 program. While these layoffs are intended to save the College $6 million in the next two years, the FPPC states that "they also present significant risk to reputation, lost revenue (tuition and donations), possible legal costs and, though less tangible yet equally important, sense of community and shared mission."

In response to the community outcry, Harring and Furge shared in a June 5 FAQ, "The College's overarching goal is to balance the budget with minimal disruption to the student experience. The objective is to return to a 12:1 student faculty ratio while maintaining as robust offerings as possible for a wide variety of student needs and interests."

Harring also helped paint a picture of what other efforts the College is implementing to secure Muhlenberg's future. "In addition to implementing new strategies to strengthen enrollment, the College is expanding conference services and corporate sponsorships. In addition, the College continues to secure philanthropic support for strategic priorities and the institution at large and, as part of its strategic planning process, is laying the groundwork for our next comprehensive campaign."

[WUPHF]

Bruh...

One faculty member given a letter of non-reappointment is unlikely to return for the 2026-2027 academic year. Bruno Bohn, who joined Muhlenberg's Public Health department at the start of the 2025-2026 academic year, stated, "I find it [the non-reappointment offer] to be an affront to the original terms of my hiring as a tenure track assistant professor; this is completely unaligned with the goals, sacrifices and rewards of an academic career. I feel betrayed by the people and the institutions that were supposed to look out for me and my career.