Bowie State University plans to cut nearly 80 jobs

Dive Brief:

• Maryland’s Bowie State University plans to eliminate 79 jobs through layoffs, eliminating vacant roles and structural reorganizations, senior leaders said Tuesday.
• The cuts come as the public, historically Black institution projects an $18 million budget deficit in fiscal 2027 amid declining enrollment, rising costs, and cuts to state and federal funding. 
• The university was able to close a $13.6 million gap previously projected for fiscal 2026 without resorting to layoffs. “While this speaks to the strength and collective commitment of our community, it also underscores the ongoing nature of the financial pressures we now carry into FY27,” officials said.

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Dive Insight:

Bowie State is the latest public university to feel the financial pressure after Maryland legislators made cuts to plug a projected $1.5 billion hole in the state’s fiscal 2027 budget. 

The state budget passed this spring reduced the University of Maryland, College Park’s appropriations by about 10% for the 2025-2027 fiscal period, according to the university.Those cuts came on top of the Trump administration’s disruptions to federal research funding, a slowdown in investment earnings and higher utility costs.

Those pressures have led UMD leaders to prepare to cut some 150 jobs through layoffs, retirements and eliminating vacant roles.

At Bowie State, which is part of the University of Maryland system, state funding is expected to fall by around 1% to $85.9 million for fiscal 2027, according to a March presentation.Bowie State’s share of Maryland funds designated for HBCUs is also expected to fall about 10.5% to $14.5 million.

Those cuts come as the cost of employee benefits, infrastructure, utilities and “essential technology investments” have all been on the rise, according to Tuesday’s message from Bowie State President Aminta Breaux, Provost Guy-Alain Amoussou and Vice President for Administration and Finance Manish Kumar. 

And then there’s enrollment, which has declined steadily since 2024 and is adding to the financial pressure on Bowie State. In April, officials projected 5,320 students will enroll in fiscal 2027, down from 5,970 in 2026 and 6,408 in 2024. The forecasted enrollment dip would cost Bowie State $5.8 million in tuition and fee revenue, officials said at the time. 

“Together, these challenges point to a broader structural gap that will require thoughtful, sustained action,” Breaux, Amoussou and Kumar said in their message. 

Against those troubles, the university received a recent financial boost in the form of a $50 million donation from Mackenzie Scott, which was part of a broader giving blitz to colleges by the billionaire philanthropist. But it and other donations are not enough to offset the structural challenges facing Bowie State, officials said. 

“While these investments are meaningful and impactful, they are not a substitute for the recurring resources needed to address long-term structural challenges,” Breaux, Amoussou and Kumar said Tuesday. 

University leaders plan to use Scott’s gift for a range of purposes in both the short and long term, including student aid, research, enrollment services, academic programs, and technology and infrastructure investments.