Stanford University Announces 363 Layoffs
STANFORD, CA - August 6, 2025 Stanford University has announced the layoff of 363 employees, attributing the decision to budget challenges largely stemming from federal policy changes under former President Donald Trump. The university has cited these changes—including cuts to higher education funding and new restrictions linked to protest policies—as central to the financial strain.
These job eliminations will affect roughly 2% of Stanford’s ~13,000-member administrative and technical staff. Affected roles span administrative units, research, IT, student services, alumni relations, and campus operations. According to a formal notice to the California Employment Development Department, layoffs are scheduled to take effect between September 30 and November 1, 2025.
Stanford leaders have tied the cuts to two fiscal pressures: a $140 million reduction in general fund allocations for the 2025–26 academic year and a spike in its endowment tax, recently raised from 1.4% to 8% under Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”—a policy expected to cost the university an estimated $750 million annually.
University President Jon Levin and Provost Jenny Martinez, after earlier implementing a hiring freeze, emphasized the necessity of these actions to protect core academic missions, including financial aid, research programs, and doctoral student support. They also warned additional staff cuts may be needed if the financial environment deteriorates further.
The layoffs come amid heightened federal scrutiny of universities over campus protests and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives—which Stanford says have contributed to funding freezes at peer institutions like UCLA, Columbia, Brown, and Harvard