Harvard University lays off IT staff following funding challenges and endowment changes

Harvard University reduced its information technology staff by 38 last week as part of broader cost-cutting measures, according to an email obtained by The Harvard Crimson . The layoffs come as the University faces multiple financial pressures, including increased endowment taxes, reduced federal funding, and lower reimbursement rates for indirect research costs. Administrators have said these factors, along with operational costs and inflationary pressures, have made staffing reductions necessary. Klara Jelinkova, Harvard’s Chief Information Officer, sent an email to HUIT employees on November 4 to announce the layoffs. Jelinkova cited a “shifting funding environment” as the driving factor and stated that no further layoffs were planned at the time. The email did not specify which po