Suffolk University has laid off 35 of its staff members ahead of the new academic year.

The layoffs are part of budget reductions as university leadership take “a cautious approach” to 2026 spending plans, President Marisa Kelly described in an email to staff in June.

Multiple university divisions were impacted by the layoffs, including information technology services, student and academic affairs, public affairs, marketing and human resources, according to Suffolk Vice President of Communications Greg Gatlin.

“Higher education is experiencing significant pressures, including demographic headwinds and declines in international enrollment due to federal policy changes, and Suffolk is not immune to those challenges,” said Gatlin in a statement to The Journal Monday.

While university leadership have not identified any specific positions for future layoffs, Gatlin said they plan to “continue to look at innovation and operational efficiencies” to navigate “a challenging environment for higher education” while remaining committed to students.

As students themselves face growing educational costs and economic uncertainty, the university provided more scholarship money than originally planned, said Gatlin.

Kelly is also taking a voluntary pay cut for the upcoming year, she shared in the June email.

“We have not made these decisions lightly,” Kelly said on the layoffs. “Losing a job has a significant impact on individuals and their families, and we are providing affected employees with transition support, including severance packages.”

This is a breaking story that will be updated as more details become available.